The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
by Yukiko of the Snow
Summary: Just a little story of how Hisana and Byakuya first met. Who said that first encounters have to be romantic?
1. Chapter 1:Worst First Impression

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This is my first Bleach fanfic, so sorry if its not that great.

Summary: Just a little tale of how Hisana Tsumura (I made up her last name) and Byakuya Kuchiki first met. Who said that first encounters have to be romantic?

Declaimer: I do not own Bleach, but it would be awesome if I did!

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Chapter 1: Worst First Impression

_Damn It._ thought Byakuya as he walked down the halls of the soul reaper academy.

One week ago…

"A message from Yamamoto sōtaichō?" Ginrei Kuchiki said as he looked up from his paper work at his grandson and fukutaichō.

"Yes, taichō." Byakuya bowed his head. "He said that all taichos must be at the soul reaper academy next week to inspect the latest recruits." Ginrei sighed heavily.

"I despise going to the Soul Academy. I'm too preoccupied to be watching young soul reapers who barely achieved shikai waving their zanpakutōaround like complete idiots. I remember the time some moron couldn't control his zanpakutō and ended up attacking me and three other taichos." Byakuya saw that his grandfather didn't want to attend this event.

"If I may make a suggestion, taicho?" he said as he lifted his head. "Why not I go in your place?

"Byakuya, do you think you are able to act in place of a taicho?"

"Of course. I believe that I am perfectly capable of completing the task at hand." After a couple of second of thinking, his grandfather finally agreed to it.

"Very well Byakuya. But be careful. God knows what kind of psychopaths are in the academy."

_Back in the Present _

_I should have kept my mouth shut_.

Now he was having second thought about his decision. All of the low class souls around him were making him misplaced. And if that wasn't enough, all the girls were practically drolling all over him. As he walked passed a group of girls, he couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"I heard that the fukutaicho of squad 6 was handsome, but damn!" the girls became silent as Byakuya passed them.

"Greetings Kuchiki fukutaicho." They all said at once as they bowed their heads. But Byakuya just ignored all of them, not even giving them a second glance.

_How pathetic. Like I would really waste my time on any of these commoners. _He just continued to down the halls, looking for the other taichos.

Hisana P.O.V

There she was, back in Inuzuri surrounded by a deep blanket of mist. As she looked around she heard a little girl crying her name.

"Hisana!" cried the childlike voice.

"Rukia!" she shouted as she began to run towards the sound.

"Rukia, I'm coming!" but as she ran more and more, the crying became more distant.

"Hisana!"

"Please don't leave me Rukia." She tripped over a rock and landed face down in the dirt. She tried to get up, but it felt that her limps hand turned to lead.

"Hisana." She heard one more time before it completely disappeared.

"RUKIA!" she screamed as she sat up from her bed. She looked around to see that she was still in her dorm room at the Soul Academy.

"It was just a dream." Hisana said as she wiped the beams of sweat from her face.

"It's about damn time, sleeping beauty!" Hisana gazed to the side at her zanpakuto lending on her desk. On top of the desk was the spirit of her zanpakuto. A dragon, no bigger than she was. While the rest of his body was silver, this dragon had eight colorful lines running down his back; red, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, pink and black.

"What do you want, little Ryu?" the dragon quickly fell to the floor.

"Quit calling me that and address me by my proper name;Ryuniji!" he shouted back.

Hisana just laughed. There was nothing she enjoyed doing more that annoying her zanpakuto.

"You know I only call you that in you release form, when you are not so tiny."

"Then maybe you should release me more than once in a blue moon." Ryu climbed back on the desk. It was true that in his release form, Ryu was the size of a building, but she was still having trouble controlling such power.

"Anyways, what do you want?" She said, ignoring his statement.

"Oh nothing." Ryu said as he picked up a copy of the Soul Society newspaper. "I just wanted to tell you that you're late for you kido class." He said casually as he began to read.

"WHAT!" she picked up her clock to see that Ryu wasn't lying.

"Yeah, Isane was at the door knocking for 20 minutes before she finally gave up." he tried hard to hide the big grin on his face.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Hisana set her clock down.

"What do I look like, your alarm clock? That's not my job." he turned the page. "My job is to assist you in battle and piss you off on occasion."

"Damn you!" she shouted as she got up and began to get dress. "I swear if it's the last thing I do, I will get you for this!" she grabbed her school uniform and ran into the bathroom.

"You say that all the time, but I yet to see you do anything." He laughed as he continued to read.

About three minutes later, Hisana was out and ready to go. Much to her annoyance, Ryu was still reading that newspaper.

"Why do you read that junk anyways?" she asked as she looked for her sandals.

"For your information, I enjoy reading, unlike you, little miss pick a fight with everyone and their mothers." he turned the page. "You want to know your horoscope?"

"Oh please. Those horoscopes are nothing but a load of bull. The editors only write those to get the attention of female soul reapers and you."

"Think what you want, but I believe in them."

"oh really?"

"Yeah. I remember the first time I read this, it said that my day would be full of misery and despair and that's the day I met you."

"Bite me." Hisana picked up one of her scrolls and threw it at him. Ryu dodged it and read his horoscope out loud.

"Odd, it says that I will have a change of scenery."

"How weird because I was just thinking about throwing you into the lake today." Ryu snuck his tongue out.

"Your horoscope says that you will meet your true love today." Suddenly Ryu burst into laugher. "That's the most corniness thing I have even read." He turned to Hisana. "Like anyone would fall in love with you!" Hisana balled her hand into a fist.

"oh Shut up!" she grabbed her zanpakuto and ran out the door.

About ten minutes later, Hisana was flash stepping as quickly as she could to make it in time for her kido class.

"You really shouldn't use shunpo if you haven't mastered it yet." Ryu said as he clingged to Hisana's robe. "Unless you like crashing into things."

"Well, thanks to you, I really don't have a choice." Hisana said as she leaned to the left, barely missing a wall. While using shunpo, she could hardily see what was in front of her. She closed her eyes for only a moment, and as she opened them again, she saw someone in the way.

"Watch out!" she shouted but it was too late. She crashed into the person with full force knocking him into a wall before crashing into a pillar. She recovered quickly and ran to aid the soul reaper she had just injured. She held out her hand to help him up, but he just slapped it away.

"I am so sorry!" Hisana said as she kneeled down. The soul reaper remained silent. Hisana lifted her head and was completely awestruck by the Adonis of a man that stood in front of her. His hair was black as ebony that ran passed his shoulders. He had some strands of hair in his face that was held there by some Kenseikan. His skin was pale, but had a warm glow to it. Even though he wasn't rippling with muscles like some other soul reapers she had seen, he still has enough to give him the perfect body. But what she really thought to be his best feature was his beautiful grays eyes that resembled pools of water on a starry night.

"Earth to Hisana!" shouted Ryu as he waved his claw in her face. "get a hold of yourself." But Hisana was not paying attention to him. As she continue gaze upon this man, she saw his face harden.

Byakuya POV

The moment he saw her, he knew what kind of person this woman was. Those scrawny arms, her small body, her dirty skin. She was nothing more than trash from the Rukhangai.

"Watch where you are going, you peasant." He said with a cold tone. Hisana's world came crashing down as those words came out of his mouth.

"Excuse me?" Hisana stood up. "What did you just call me?" Hisana didn't even bother to hide the anger in her voice.

"I will not repeat myself." The expression on his face as he talked was calm and cold.

Hisana POV

Hisana couldn't believe it. Her picture perfect man was disappearing right before her every eyes. Her prince charming had now become an ugly, horrid ogre.

_No wonder he was so attracted,_ she though_. It's just to cover up his ugly personality_! Now she saw his for what he truly was. A no good, stuck-up noble! And if there was one thing Hisana hated the most, it was people who think they are so superior just because of their damn blood line.

"Find then! I'm not sorry and you're just an ass!" she shouted. Even though he still looked calm, Hisana could tell that he was mad.

"How dare you speak to your better in such a disrespectful way?"

"Ha!" Hisana gave a shallow laugh. "The only thing you're better than me is in being arrogant!" Byakuya placed his hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto, ready to teach this little girl a lesson in respect. Then they heard a bell ring.

"Hmp!" Byakuya let go of his zanpakuto. "I have better things to do than to waste my time on a nothing like you." he shot a cold glare at her.

"Likewise." Hisana stuck her tongue out. She turned around and began to walk away. Byakuya did the same, going the opposite direction of Hisana.

"Jerk." They both said as they went their separate way.

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That's it for chapter 1. Please R&R


	2. Chapter 2: The Beginning of a Rivalry

Chapter 2: The Beginning of a Rivalry

By the time Hisana arrived to her class, students were already leaving the class.

"So much for making it on time." Her stupid dragon mocked. Hisana felt like yelling at her idiot zanpakuto, but held herself back so she wouldn't look crazy.

"Hisana!" shouted a white haired girl who had just exited the room. Her hair was very short, except for the long stands that hung from the right side of her face.

"Hey Isane." She said nervously. Isane walked up to Hisana, her arms folded over chest. The look of disappointment and anger on Isane's face told Hisana that she was in for one of Isane's lecture on how it was it was important to arrive to class on time.

"Don't hey me, Hisana! Why are you so late?"

"I woke up late." She gave Isane one of her innocence smile.

Isane sighed. "Of course you did. I swear, not even an earthquake could wake you up!" she said as she and Hisana began to wake down the hall. "Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you, Hisana."

"Because we're friends." Hisana said as she took off running, Isane following close behind.

Of all the people in the Soul Reaper Academy, Isane Kotetsu was the only friend that she had. Growing up in Inuzuri had made Hisana into a loner, believing that the only person she could trust was herself. She didn't believe friendship or happiness. Then about in her second year at the soul reaper academy, she met Isane, someone she would come to know as her best friend.

Many viewed Hisana and Isane as an odd couple. While Isane was soft spoken, cool headed and timid, Hisana was the complete opposite. Hisana was loud, hot headed, and aggressive. But what really made them different was their social class. While Isane was not a noble, she still came from the upper district of the Rukongai while Hisana came from the lowest. No one could really figure out why Isane would wilily hang out with someone who everyone around them deemed as trash. But neither of them cared what other people thought. That was the rule Hisana lived by. Don't bother pleasing other people.

"Why were you later than usual?" Isane asked as they sat under a tree, enjoying the rice balls Isane had packed for lunch.

"What do you mean?" Hisana stuffed another rice ball in her mouth.

"Well, usually you make it to class before the instructor takes roll at the end of the class, but today you completely missed the entire lesson."

"Its not like I need that class anyways. I can already perform a 30 level kido without an incantation."

"Stop avoiding the question, Hisana!" Isane reached for her drink.

"Well, if you must know, I would have made it on time if I didn't crash into that stupid soul reaper!" the moment Hisana said that, Isane spit her water out at Hisana. "ISANE!" she said as she used her shelve to wipe off the water.

"You crashed into a soul reaper!" Isane cleaned the water that was still dripping from the side of her mouth. "Are you insane? That could have been a taicho! You know that all thirteen taichos are going to be on campus today."

"Trust me, that jerk was no taicho. He was just some rude, pain in the ass noble!" just thinking about him was enough to make her blood boil. Hisana finished off the last rice ball and stood up.

"Come on, let's head back before we're late." Isane nodded. After putting everything away, Hisana and Isane rushed to their next class.

When they arrived to Isane's healing class, Hisana noticed that one of the thirteen taichos was standing at the doorway. The moment Isane saw the taicho, she bowed. Hisana copied Isane.

"Greeting Unohana taicho!" Isane said with a nervous tone. She lifted her head. "I am Isane Kotetsu of class 4." Unohana smiled at her.

"Isane Kotetsu. Yes, I have heard many things about you, Isane. According to your instructor, you healing abilities are quite acceptable." Isane blushed.

"Thank you for your praise, but my abilities is nothing compare to your abilities, Unohana-taicho."

"And who is this young lady." She asked as Unohana's set her sights on Hisana.

"I am Hisana Tsumura of class 6."

"She is also good at healing kidos." Isane blurted out.

"Isane!" Hisana covered her mouth. "To be perfectly honest, it's my zanpakuto that has the healing abilities, not me."

"Well, Hisana, you must hurry if you are to be on time for your class. Kuchiki-taicho is not too fond of tardiness."

"Crap!" with that, Hisana was off.

Byakuya POV

Byakuya sat to the side as the teacher of class 6 had his best student show off their zanpakuto. But so far, he was not impressed. The only thing these so-called best students have done was learn the name of their zanpakuto. They still have not completely learned to communicate with their blades.

"That is enough." Said the instructor of the class, Kashii-sensei. "You may all have a seat." Immediately the student sat in front of their teacher. Kashii walked up to him. "So what you think of the latest recruits for Squad 6, Kuchiki-fukutaicho?" his face beaming with pride. "As you can clearly see, most of my students have already mastered shikai. In fact, I'm wouldn't be surprise if the next taicho comes from this specific class." Byakuya narrowed his eyes, an automatic sign that Byakuya disagreed.

"Is this what you call mastering one's zanpakuto?" the smile on Kashii's face began to drop down. "Just being able to release your zanpakuto does not mean that you have mastered it. You must be able to communicate with it, in order to learn its abilities."

"Well, umm, you see Kuchiki- fukutaicho" he began, but Byakuya interrupted him.

"The way I see it, this students are unfit to be in Squad 6." Kashii broke out in a sweat.

"Well, their swordsmanship makes up for their incompetence at shikai." Kashii turned to his students. "Which one of you would like to show the fukutaicho their superior swordsmanship?" everyone looked at one another. Apparently no one was foolish enough to challenge a fukutaicho. Suddenly the screen door slid out and Hisana ran in.

Hisana POV

"Tsumura!" Hisana looked at old man Kashii, whose face was bright red. "How dare you be late to my class?" He then turned to Byakuya. "Ignore this one, Kuchiki fukutaicho. She is one of my more inept student." He threw her a nasty look.

"Fukutaicho?" Hisana looked behind him to see him again. "You!" she shouted in anger as she pointed her figure at him. Well as least she was right about him not being a taicho.

"Tsumura! Sit down this instant!" Kashii ordered. But Hisana but stood there, glaring at him before finally took her seat. As old man Kashii turned the other way, Hisana gave her neighbor a nudge.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Kashii- sensei wants one of us to dual with Kuchiki fukutaicho." He whispered.

"A dual?" She said to herself. She grinned. _The perfect way for me to get back at that creep!_

"I'll dual him, Kashii- sensei." Hisana jumped up and ran to the front of the class. She placed her hand on the hilt of her zanpakuto, and began to unsheathe her zanpakuto but Keshii intervened.

"Tsumura! You know that I have forbidden you to use your zanpakuto indoors. We cannot keep rebuilding this building just because you are uncontrollable beast!" He walked into the other room and seconds later returned with two shinai.

"Here." He handed one of the Shinai to Hisana and the other one to Byakuya. "Use these. Hopefully you will not destroy anything with this, but yet again, it is you. So who knows?" Kashii quickly ran out of the way.

"Face your opponent." Hisana and Byakuya stood in front of each other.

"Prepare for an ass whipping, Kuchiki!" Hisana lifted her shinai.

"We will see about that." Byakuya said as he readied himself for battle.


	3. Chapter 3: Too Close for Comfort

Chapter 3: Too Close For Comfort

Hisana POV

"And Begin!" shouted Kashii. Hisana charged at Byakuya with force full.

"Take this Kuchiki!" she shouted as she prepared to strike him. But suddenly he disappeared.

Where did he go? She thought. But before she could react, she felt someone strike her in the back, sending her crashing into the floor.

"Do you really think that you can defeat me with that speed?" Hisana raised her head to see that Byakuya was standing right in front of her, with a cocky grin on his face.

"Would you like to continue or have you had enough?" Hisana picked herself up from the floor.

"Don't you wish!" she pointed her shinai directly at him. "I said that I was going to kick your ass and I intend to stay true to my word!" again she rushed towards Byakuya, but his speed was proving to be too much for Hisana. He was able to dodge every one of her attack, and deliver one of his own. After a couple of minutes, Hisana was sore all over.

"Hisana!" shouted her zanpakuto in her head. "What the hell is that matter with you!"

"_Shut up, little Ryu! I could beat him if I could catch him!"_ She though.

"Stop making excuses. I have seen you take down guys twice his size with ease."

_It's not that easy to take down someone who is faster than lightning!_

"So what? That just means that his weakness isn't speed. But you can still kick his ass!"

"_But"_

"No buts! You win or I will taunt you nonstop for the next month about how you lost to some snuck up noble!"

_Fine then! You always know how to motive me, don't you?_ Hisana began to think about Kuchiki's fighting method. From this match, she could tell that his preferred method of attack was sneak attack from the back.

_That's it!_

Byakuya POV

She was just standing there, silent as can be. Maybe he had gone too hard on her. After all she wasn't even a soul reaper yet.

"Do you admit defeat, girl?" he asked but Hisana remained motionless. "I am speaking to you!" but Hisana did not respond.

_Is she ignoring me_? Growing tried of this match, Byakuya finally decided to end it. He flash stepped behind her, ready to finish her off. But as he delivered the final blow, Hisana reached for the shinai and grabbed it.

She gave him a sinister smile before smacking him in the ribs. Byakuya pulled back quickly, but then attacked again. But this time Hisana was able to counter every one of his blows.

_How could this be! Before she couldn't even keep her eyes on me._ He glared at Hisana, who still had that horrid smile on her face. _Now she is able to counteract every move._

"What's the matter? Am I too much for you?" Hisana said. "I have to admit that your speed is good, but your attacks are weak."

"I see, so you were able find the weak point of my attack. Your adaptation skills are impressive."

Hisana raised an eyebrow. "Was that a compliment?"

"Don't get full of yourself. That is the only thing you have going for you!" He flashed stepped around her.

"Bakudō number 9: Strike!" she shouted. Without warning Byakuya was engulfed in a red light, completely paralyzing him.

Hisana POV

She laughed in triumph as she watched him standing still, trying to break free of her binding spell.

"Now what you saying about me having no other skills?" he just threw her a hateful glare. "Now I will spare you a humiliating defeat if you apologize for saying crap about me earlier."

But Byakuya answered her in one word. "Never."

"Have it your way then!" she charged at him, with her shinai in the air. But the strand of her left sandal ripped. She tripped and crashed face first into Byakuya as they both hit the floor. Hisana was dazed for a moment, but when she finally came to, she heard laugher. She turned to her fellow classmates. The boys and the girls were giggling among themselves.

What's so funny? She looked at Byakuya and was completely horrified. She and Byakuya were in a very compromising position. She was lying on top of Byakuya. Their noses were practically touching. Their legs were hopelessly tangled.

_CRAP_! She thought as her face turned a deep red.

Byakuya POV

Byakuya must have figured out why everyone was laughing, because seconds later he gave Hisana a powerful shove, knocking her to the side. He quickly lifted himself from the floor and brushed off the dust that clinged to his soul reaper uniform. He was facing the other way, so no one could see his face red from embarrassment. Kashii ran up to him.

"Kuchiki fukutaicho, are you alright?" Byakuya stayed silent. Kashii turned to Hisana, who was still sitting on the floor, and pulled her up violently by the arm.

"Stupid girl! How dare you disrespect Kuchiki fukutaicho." Hisana pulled away.

"It was fight! How else was I support to defeat him."

"Don't be a smartass, Tsumura!" but before Kashii could say anything, Byakuya appeared in front of Hisana.

"You defeated me?" he said coldly.

But Hisana just smiled "Yes, yes I did."

"You only accomplish that by using kido, a different form of combat, while we were supposed to be dueling. In other words, you lose by default."

"You are so full of crap Kuchiki!" she balled her hand into a fist, but retained herself from hurting him. "In that cause, don't you lose too then, since shunpo is another form of combat?"

Byakuya just stay quiet. This girl had a point. But he refused to admit defeat to this evil little witch.

"It was a draw." With that he took his leave. But not before taking one more glance at Hisana.

It was dark when Byakuya arrived home. He walked quietly passed his grandfather's room, hoping not to talk about today's event. Byakuya entered his own room and placed his zanpakuto on its holder on the wall. He then proceeded to his bed where he collapsed onto of it.

"Damn it." he said to himself as he rubbed his temples. How could he bested by a nothing from the Rukangai?

"Byakuya!" he looked up to see a woman standing in front of his bed. She wore a large and beautiful light pink kimono, with darker shades of pink shaped like petals scattered around it. In her hands she held a long pink fan. Her skin was as white as freshly fallen snow. And her long hair was as pink as cherry blossoms.

"I knew this was coming." He set his head back on to his pillow. "Another lecture from you, Senbonzakura."

She crossed her arms across her chest. "If you hate my lectures so much, then you would not shame me as much!"

"I shamed you?"

"Yes, because everything you do reflects on to me! How dare you lose to that girl! You are the future head of the Kuchiki clan and she is just a commoner!"

"Technically I didn't lose. It was a draw." He looked up again, but she was gone. He quickly sat up. "Senbonzakura!" He called out. Suddenly he felt her fan as it slapped him in back of the head.

"A DRAW! That is just a fancy way of saying that you lost!" he laid down.

"Don't worry; I will never lose to her again. I will probably never see her again anyways."

"Let's hope so, Byakuya Kuchiki!" she said as she faded away.

"I assure you." Byakuya soon drifted into sleep, his dreams just a replay of his match with her.


	4. Chapter 4: Making Things Worse

Chapter 4: Making Things Worse

_Six months later_

Isane was excited as she and Hisana walked turn the Seireitei. Hisana, on the other hand, couldn't be more bored.

"Can you believe it Hisana? We are finally Soul Reapers."

"Of course, that's why went to the academy." Isane gave Hisana a cold glare.

"Hisana, stop being so cynical."

Hisana folded her arms in the back her head. "Sorry, I guess I'm just upset that we're not in the same squad."

"That's because I was in class 4, for healers, and you were in class 6. We were destined to be separate sooner or later." Hisana just sighed

"You know when you say it, it seem more oblivious." They completely stopped in front of the 4th division headquarters.

"Well, this is my stop." Isane took in a deep breath.

Hisana patted her friend on the back. "Don't worry, you will do fine." They saw other soul reapers entering the building, making Hisana realize that she was late for her own squad meeting. "Crap! I have to get going." She said as she took off running. "See ya later, Isane!" she shouted before disappearing around a corner.

"First day as a soul reaper, and you're already running late!" Shouted Ryu. "Are you trying to get on their bad side?"

Hisana barely missed a group of soul reapers. "I just lost track off of time." It was a good thing that the headquarters had a sign, because Hisana would never have found it on her own. She creped slowly into the building. Much to her dismay, she saw many of her fellow classmates from the academy there.

Damn it. She thought as she took a seat near the entrance. She hated being in class with them, now she had be in the same division with them.

"Don't worry, Hisana." Ryu suddenly appeared on her shoulders. "At least it can't get any worst." Hisana quickly silenced him by wrapping her hand around his mouth.

"Don't jinx it!" she whispered. But she could feel that the damage had already been done.

"All stand!" shout a man in the front of the room. Immediately y everyone stood up, Hisana being that last to obey. "Now bow in honor of Kuchiki taicho!" the instant that Hisana her those words, her heart skipped a beat.

In her state of shock, Ryu was able free his mouth. "Hey, isn't that the name of that soul reaper you beat up?"

"You in the back! I said bow!" the man shouted again. Hisana immediately bowed.

It can't be the same guy Ryu! She shouted in her head. He was just a fukutaicho when I fought him. There is no way that her could have been promoted to taicho in six months!

"Especially if he lost to you!" Ryu added. The doors opened, and Hisana heard footsteps. Unfortunately for Hisana, she couldn't get a good look at her taicho. She could only see his sandals.

Is it the same guy, Ryu?

"Nope. It's just some old guy." Hisana lifted her head slightly to see that Ryu was right. He was an old man. His hair was neatly combed back. Around his neck was an expensive looking light green scarf. He was obliviously a noble.

"Wait a minute. Someone is following him." Ryu said. Hisana lifted herself just in time to see the face of the soul reaper whose ass she kicked. Hisana quickly lowered her head again, hoping that he did not notice her.

The next hour was the worst hour of Hisana's life. While the other new soul reapers were listening to every word that Kuchiki taicho was saying, Hisana's focus was completely on Kuchiki fukutaicho.

_They have the last name. So they must be related. _She thought as forced in on him. _He must be the taicho's grandson._

She took a quick glance at him, to see if Kuchiki was looking at her. If he turned his head, even if it was just for a second, Hisana would suddenly bend down. Luckily for her, Kuchiki didn't look at Hisana once.

"You are dismissed." Said Kuchiki taicho. Immediately everyone around her stood up and began to walk out.

"What's going on?" She said as she looked around.

"The meeting is over." Ryu popped out of Hisana's hair. "We should probably get out of here before he sees you." Agreeing with him, she got up and began to walk out. But she paused when she noticed that Kuchiki was leaving threw another exit. She turned her head, seeing that everyone had left, before following him.

Hisana kept her distance as she pursued her taicho and fukutaicho, making sure that she was out of sight when one of the men turned back. When Kuchiki taicho finally departed from his fukutaicho, Hisana ran behind a pillar.

"What are you doing?" Ryu asked as Hisana hid behind a pillar. "I thought the plan was to avoid that guy. Not follow him."

"I have to make amends with him." Hisana peeked around the pillar.

"Make amends?" Ryu glared into Hisana's eyes. "Who are you and what have you've done with Hisana?" Hisana gave him punch in the head.

"Stop being a smartass! I'm only doing this so he won't have a reason to make my life miserable later."

"Do you honestly believe that will work?" Ryu said as he rubbed the bump on his head. "The guy seems to be just as stubborn as you." Hisana punched him in the head again. She peeked again, but he was gone.

"Where did he…" but before Hisana could finish her sentence, she was pinned to the pillar.

"I knew someone was following me." She opened her eyes and saw that it was Kuchiki.

Byakuya POV

_Her again_! He thought.

"I thought that you would never she her again." Senbonzakura said to him through telepathy.

_Silence! _

"I should have guessed it was you." He released her. "Tsumura, is it not?"

"Actually my name is Hisana." Hisana straighten out the wrinkles in her uniform. "And you name is?"

"I am Byakuya Kuchiki."

"Right. Well, Byakuya." She started off. "I think that we might have gotten off on the wrong hand. So I am here to apologize in hopes that be can become friends."

"Friends?" he said in confusion  
"Maybe friend is too strong. How about acquaintances?" She extended her hand to shake with him. But Byakuya slapped her hand away.

"First of all, never address me informally again. You will call me Kuchiki fukutaicho, nothing less!"

"Um..." Hisana tried to talk but Byakuya interrupted her.

"And further more, we are not friends, nor are we acquaintances. We are not even in the same social class. I am your fukutaicho and you are nothing but a low level soul reaper. Do you understand?" Hisana just stood still, before her face grew red with anger.

"YOU ASS!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I was just trying to apologize to your dumbass, but now I won't!"

"Watch your mouth, you brat! Do not forget that I am your fukutaicho. Your fate lies in my hands." Hisana pushed him away.

"Bite me!" Hisana shouted as she walked away. But not before grabbing a rock and hurling it at Byakuya's head. She smiled as left her unconscious fukutaicho lying on the floor.


	5. Chapter 5: Let the War Begin

Chapter 5: Let the War Begin!

"Damn you Kuchiki!" Hisana shouted as she landed another punch on her Byakuya effigy that she had made using her pillow and a permanent maker.

"I hate you!" she gave it a couple more blows before kicking it to the floor. She turned to Ryu, who was reading the latest issue of the Soul Reaper Newspaper.

"Do you believe the nerves of that bastard? I tried to be nice to him and he treats me like I am the dirt beneath his feet!" she gave her pillow a power kick. Ryu stopped reading.

"Hisana, I know that you're upset, but beating the crap out of your pillow isn't going to solve anything."

"I know that." She picked up the pillow and threw it against the wall, sending hundreds of feathers into the air. "But it makes me feel a lot better!"

"Well, your horoscope says that you should be careful with anger, because all it will do is attracted bad karma."

"Shut up or you're next!"

But before Hisana could do anything else, she heard a knock. "Come in!"

The door slide open and Isane walked in. "Hisana, I thought that we would meet after our meetings were over." But then she noticed that Hisana's room was covered with feathers.

"I take it you had a bad day."

"What was your first clue?" Hisana said sarcastically. But then she felt guilty for talking bad to Isane. "Sorry about that. It's just that creep pissed me off today."

"You mean the fukutaicho that you beat up while you were in the academy?""

"Yeah. I tried to apologize to him, but mister high and mighty refused to accept it. So I knock him out with a rock."

"Hisana!" shouted Isane.

"Hey! That jerk got what he had coming to him!"

"You can't go beating up seated officers. Don't you understand that you can get into serious trouble?"

Hisana just shrugged. "oh well, what's done is done. Now Lets get something to eat." Hisana said as she walked outside, Isane soon followed her.

_**The Next Day **_

Hisana had to admit that she felt very nervous when she was called to Byakuya's office so early in the morning. She was certain it was because of the rock incident yesterday.

"Tsumura!" she heard him shout from the other room. Slowly Hisana walked into his office. When she entered, she saw that he was doing paperwork. She tried her hardest not to laugh when she saw the bump that she had left him.

"You wanted to see me, fukutaicho." Byakuya gave her a cold glare.

"Didn't I make it clear to you that you are to address me as Kuchiki fukutaicho?"

"Hell will freeze over before I start doing that!" she shouted. But Byakuya paid no attention to her comment.

"There has been a hollow attack and the 4th division is overrun by the injured. Kuchiki taicho has instructed me to send some soul reapers from his division to assist Unohana taicho."

"And you thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to get me out of your sight for a couple of hours."

Byakuya just smirked. "No that is the added bonus." Hisana narrowed her eyes.

"And what is that suppose to mean?"

"I have already spoken. Now get out of my sight."

"Fine then, jerk!" she shout as she stormed out of his office.

"You know that he is setting you up for something." Ryu said as he and Hisana walked to the 4th division. "Why else would he send you?"

"Who cares? Certainly not me."

"Not even if it's unbelievably horrible?"

"As long as I am away from that jerk, then I don't care." Hisana smiled. "Beside, there is nothing worst than spending time with Kuchiki."

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Hisana didn't realize how wrong she was. These grown men from squad 11 behaved worst than a bunch of spoiled brats. If they weren't complaining about how the food tasted like crap, they were trying to pick a fight with the soul reapers with squad 4. As she walked down the row, serving the patients some food, some dumb bastard made the mistake of thinking Hisana was from squad 4 and slapped her ass.

"Nice ass, sugar!" he hollered. Suddenly the room erupted in laugher. Hisana face turned a dark red from a mixture of anger and embarrassment. She turned to the idiot and grabbed him by the collar of his uniform and threw him over her shoulder to the other side of the room. Hisana made sure that he would never do that again as she sent him crashing into a wall.

"Who else wants to try!" but as she shouted, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned quickly to see a very unhappy Unohana taicho.

"Hisana, please do not beat up the patients." She said in a soft tone. Hisana couldn't explain it, but seeing that look of disappointment on Unohana's face was sending chills down her spines.

"Um, sorry about that Unohana taicho." She bowed her head in apology. She rose and quickly assisted the pervert that had slapped her early into his bed.

"It is alright. Just be more gentle with these patients." She said before she left. Hisana turned back to the morons from squad 11. All of them had the same stupid smile on their face.

"You heard the taicho! Be gentle." She heard one of them shout. Hisana sighed as she rolled up her shelves.

It was going to be a long day.

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The second Hisana walked into her room, she collapsed on her bed. She didn't know what hurt more. Her rear end from all the slaps and pinches she received from those perverts or her hand from the slaps and punched she gave them.

Ryu suddenly appeared by her side. "I told you so!"

Hisana just threw him infuriated glare.

"Hey don't be mad at me! It was Kuchiki that set you up for hell!"

"I know that, but you don't have to rub it in!" she shot back.

"And it's only going to get worse. Tomorrow you have to scrub all the floors of the 6th division. And the day after that, you have..."

"Stop reminding me." she interrupted him as she buried deep her face into her pillow/Byakuya effigy.

"You need to get out of squad 6 or suffer more of Byakuya's torture." Ryu said as he set himself on Hisana's back.

"Oh yeah. I'll just go up to Kuchiki taicho and ask him for a transfer because I hate his grandson!" she said in a sarcastic tone. "The only other way is for his fukutaicho to recommend the transfer."

"Good point." Ryu laid his head on top of Hisana's. "And it's not like you can get Byakuya to agree to the transfer because he enjoys torturing you."

"Agree to it." she repeated to herself. She knew that he would never agree to a transfer if she asked him. The way she figured, the only way she could get him to consent if she got him so mad that he wanted her out.

"That's it!" Hisana quickly got up, sending Ryu flying off her back. She rushed to her nightstand and began rummaging through her drawer.

"What the hell!" Ryu shouted as he picked himself up. But Hisana paid no attention to his complaining. After digging deep enough, she pulled out a notebook and a pen. She walked back to her bed and sat down. She then began to scrabble furiously in the notebook.

"What are you up to?" but Hisana just grinned.

"He wants a war," she laughed evilly as she continued to write. "I'll give him Armageddon!"

* * *

Author's note: sorry for not updating sooner.


	6. Chapter 6: One Failure After Another

Chapter 6: One Failure After Another

"I really don't think this a good idea Hisana." Said a very skeptical Ryu as Hisana was positioning a wooden bucket over a door.

"when I want your opinion, I'll ask for it!" Hisana shouted back as she made the finishing touches to her trap she had planed out for that jerk, Byakuya.

"Listen, I know that you don't like being in squad six, but there's has to be a better way than this to get out."

"Not as good as this. All I have to do is piss Kuchiki off enough. Then by the time I make my move, he'll be so fed up with me that he practically is begging me to leave." Hisana jumped onto the ground.

"that or he will kill you." But before Hisana could response, she heard footsteps.

"here he comes." Said Ryu. Quickly Hisana rushed to a nearby window that led out to the side of the building. She wished that she stay long enough to see the reaction on Kuchiki's face when that bucket came down, but she figured that wouldn't be a wise thing to do. So she took off running, but she didn't get far before hearing Kuchiki yell.

Hisana ran into the building where she left her bucket and scrub earlier this morning. she got down on her knees and continued to scrub.

_Now all I have to do is wait._ She thought.

Sure enough, within a few seconds, the doors flung open and in walked Byakuya. His head and upper body covered with black ink.

"is there something wrong, fukutaicho?" Hisana said as innocent as possible. Byakuya, however, wasn't buying her act for one second.

"don't act dumb, I know you were behind this!" he said as ink was trickling down his hair.

"I don't understand what you are talking about." Hisana took a long look at Byakuya. "but I must say that black is a good color on you." Byakuya responded by giving her the mother of all death glares. But Hisana just brushed it off.

"now do you mind getting out of here? You are dripping all over my clean floor." Byakuya wiped off a giant glob of ink from his face and flung it on the floor.

"you missed a spot." He said before leaving. But Hisana didn't care. She reached into her shelve and pulled out her notebook.

"Hisana: 1 Byakuya: 0" she said as she drew a tally mark under her name.

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Yet again, Hisana was called into his office early in the morning. she was hoping it was because he was getting rid of her earlier than she had expected. Unfortunately for her, he had a sinister smile on his face as she walked into his office. And if she had learned anything, it was that nothing good came from him smiling.

"Tsumura, I have something special in store for you today." He said as he laid his writing brush on his desk.

"You're going into force me into exile?"

"Don't I wish." He said. Hisana frowned. _Damn!_ However, she knew that he wouldn't give in that easily.

"You will be assisting squad 4 in their monthly sewer cleaning today." That same smug smile of his widened even more.

"you bastard!" Hisana slammed her hands on his desk. "I'm not your damn slave, you ass!" she said as she leaned closer to Byakuya. Byakuya, however, was not intimidated.

"No, but I am your fukutaicho. And what I say goes. " Hisana just glared at him with hateful eyes. but she knew that she had to do whatever her fukutaicho commanded. Reluctantly she lifted herself from his desk and walked out of his office.

"Hisana: 1 Byakuya: 1" she heard her zanpakuto say.

"Shut up!" she shouted out loud. "he'll regard that he ever messed with me."

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After yesterday's humiliating task of scrubbing the sewers, Hisana's next task was to get Byakuya's morning cup of tea.

"Here's your tea, you ass!" she slammed the tray on his desk.

"Looks like someone woke up in a bad mood this morning. What is the matter with you?" Byakuya said as he poured himself a cup. Hisana threw him a cold glare.

"I don't know, I spent eight hours scrubbing disgusting sewer, and now I have to be up early in the morning just to serve tea to a complete ass. You tell me, genius!" Byakuya ignored her as he took a sip of his tea before spitting it back out.

"What the hell is this?" he looked into the cup and saw that the tea was a murky brown.

"its green tea." Hisana then smiled. "I just happened to boil it with the mop water from yesterday."

_Hisana: 2 Byakuya: _1.she thought to herself.

Byakuya filled the cup with more tea. "drink it." He handed the cup to Hisana. "now"

"Now why would I do that?" she asked as she pushed the cup away. "just because you say so?" But Byakuya stood up and walked over to Hisana.

"No. Because I am your fukutaicho." He leaned towards Hisana. "Because you are weak and pathetic." He leaned even closer, almost making Hisana fall back. "And because I will have you next in line for the Sōkyoku if you don't."

"And what's the fourth reason?"

"Drink it now!" he shouted.

Reluctantly Hisana grabbed the cup, looking at the brown water. She shifted her eyes towards Byakuya, who was still waiting. She closed her eyes and quickly gulped it down. Of all the horrible things she had eaten in the past, this was by far the worst. Every drop made her want to gag. She slightly opened one eye to see Byakuya with a triumptfic smile on his face.

_COCKY BASTARD_! She couldn't take it anymore. She let go of the glass and quickly ran outside to throw up.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"The score is now hisana: 2 Byakuya 3" said Ryu as he watched Hisana rise out her mouth for the fourth time this night. Hisana spit the water out.

"And how is it that he is ahead?" she said as she wiped her mouth with a towel.

"Because, one point is for making you drink dirty sewer water, and the other point is for making you barf, which by the way was very gross."

"shut up." She said as she walked into her room. "He is a lot tougher to break than I excepted." She sat on her bed and began to flip through her notebook. "I can't believe that every plan I wrote down didn't even phase him." She said as she threw the book at Ryu. She looked up towards Ryu who was keeping his distance from her.

"what are you doing?"

"Sorry, but your breath reeks." He said nervously as he picked up his paper. Hisana suddenly grabbed her pillow and covered him with it.

"Why you little smartass!" she pressed down harder on the pillow. "how dare you insult me!"

"It's nothing…" Ryu struggled against the pillow. "personal." But Hisana couldn't even find joy in torturing her little smartass of a zanpakuto.

"What's the point?" Hisana removed the pillow from Ryu. "There is not point killing you. If I cant get away of Byakuya, then there's no point to living." Ryu coughed up some feathers.

"Hey, I couldn't breath!" He began to yell at her, but he saw how depressed Hisana looked.

"Hey don't be such a drama queen." He picked up the notebook and handed it to her, only to have it pushed away. "you beat him once and I'm sure you can do it again." Ryu looked up to see Hisana's eyes glowing with what he knew too well to be determination.

"Ryu," she said softly. A smile soon appeared on her face.

"What's with the smile? You're creeping me out." he said as he slowly backed away.

"Thank you." she said as she picked up her book and began to write. "Thanks For giving me a great idea."

* * *

Author's note

I so sorry for not updating in a long time. To know why, please read my profile.


	7. Chapter 7: A Good Plan Gone Wrong

Chapter 7: A Good Plan Gone Wrong

Yet again, Hisana had the annoying task of bringing Byakuya his morning tea. Enough though she knew the only reason for this was because Byakuya knew how much she hated getting in the morning. But Hisana was not even upset about waking up early in the morning. After all, everything was going according to her plan.

Ryu suddenly appeared around her shoulders. He noticed the grin on her face and knew that sometime was up.

"What are you up to now?" Hisana quickly looked around to see if there was anyone nearby. After realizing that it was safe to talk,

"After my many failed attempts, I have finally figured out the perfect plan." She reached into her kosode and pulled out a vile of purple liquid.

"With this."

"Hisana!" shouted the dragon as he grabbed the vile from her hand. "I know you hate Byakuya, but you can't poison him!"

"You idiot!" she snatched it back. "I'm not going to kill him! No matter how tempting it sounds. This is a special elixir given to criminal soul reapers so they will temporary lose their powers, depending on amount that is given. That includes using kido, shunpo, and releasing their zanpakuto." She opened the vile and poured three drops into the boiling pot. "Because I am using a small amount, it will probably take a while before it completely takes affect."

"And how did you get a hold of that?"

"That is none of your business!" She shouted as she put the vile away.

"You stole it from the 12th division, didn't you?

"That's not impotent. What's important is that this vile is going to finally going to get me out of squad 6." She poured the tea into the teapot.

"How?"

Hisana pulled out her notebook and opened it to reveal a collection of rabbit doodles.

"Please no visional aids!" he pleaded. But Hisana ignored his criticism and continued to present her plan.

"This is how." She showed Ryu the first page of her plan. "First I add the elixir into Byakuya's tea." Her picture was a bunny pouring something into a teapot. She turned the page that had a bunny holding a teacup while another bunny watched him with an evil grim on its face. "Then I give him the tea and make sure he drinks it." The next page had the Byakuya bunny surrounded by trees as he held a paper. "Next I leave him an anonymous invitation in the woods." The next scene showed the Hisana bunny fighting the Byakuya bunny. "Then I show up and challenge him to a dual, where if I win, he will agree to have me transfer out of squad 6. And with an ego that big, there is no way he would refuse. And because he drank the elixir that neutralized his powers, there is no way he can defeat me." She turned to the last page that had the Byakuya bunny weeping in defeat while Hisana bunny laughed. "Then I will be out of squad six and away from Byakuya once and for all." She tuned to Ryu. "So what do you think?" After a couple of seconds of silence, Hisana grew impatient. "Well?"

"Hisana I really don't think this is a good idea. He could get hurt or something."

"That's the plan." She placed the teapot and a cup on the tray and carried it to Byakuya.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When she entered his office, he was focused on his paperwork. He looked up for a second to see her.

"I told you that I expect my morning tea no later than half pass eight." he snapped. But Hisana didn't response. She just placed the tray gently onto the desk.

"sorry." She said as she bowed humbly. "But you can't rush perfection." Byakuya narrowed his eyes.

"I am not rushing perfection; I am rushing you, the farthest thing from perfection."

_Remember the plan, Hisana_. She told herself over and over again to stop herself pounding this jerk into the ground. _You'll get him back later_. That thought alone was enough to make her smile. She watched carefully as Byakuya poured himself a cup of tea. He took another glanced at her.

"Why are you still here?"

"Um, I just wanted to make sure that you drink your tea. After all, tea is good for the body and mind." But Byakuya just gave her a cold glare. He knew she was up to something.

"What did you do the tea this time?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Really. Then drink it."

"Umm, that's not necessary. I don't really like tea."

"That wasn't a request. I won't drink any until I see you drink it first."

"Ok, just let me get another cup. After all, you don't want to drink out of something that touched my lips do you?"

"Good point." He placed his cup back on his desk. "Well hurry up then"

Hisana rushed out the door and seconds later returned with wooden cup. Byakuya immediately grabbed the cup from her hand and carefully examined it. Making sure that there were no secret holes or compartments where the tea could stored. He then poured tea into the cup and handed it to her.

"Now drink it." Byakuya watched her cautiously to see if showed any signs of hesitation. But she drank it without even so much as a complain. After finishing off the cup, she showed it to Byakuya.

"See, you're just being paranoid."

"Very well then. You may leave now." And finally the moment Hisana was waiting for, Byakuya took a drink of his tea.

"Of course." And with that, she left. As she walked to her quarters, Suddenly Ryu reappeared on her shoulders.

"Hisana, how is your plan going to work without your powers?"

"You really think little of me, don't you Ryu." She said as she pulled out the cup. She turned it upside and gently pressed a hidden button. Tea suddenly began pour out of the cup. "By pushing the button, the inside of cup opened up and the tea drain into the hollow slot. I created this thing just for the occasion."

"Hmm, impressive. Its like if this was planned out by someone who actually has a brain." Hisana, however, was in such high spirits, she didn't even care that Ryu made a shot at her.

"Time for stage two."

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Byakuya took a quick glance at the clock that hung on the wall. It was now noon. It was the middle of the day, but for some strange reason, he felt tired.

_Could it been something in the tea? _He asked himself as he gazed at the empty teapot. _But if that were the case, then why would that little idiot drink it willingly? _He had checked the cup thoroughly and it seemed like an ordinary cup. Maybe the thought of her tampering with his tea was making him paranoid. But before he could thing any farther, he heard a knock at the door.

"You may enter." He said, but then he heard another knock.

"I said come in." he said more forcibly. But the knocking did not stop. Finally fed up with it he stood up and walked over to the door. He swung the door opened, but found that no one was at the door. He took a couple of forward before hearing the crumpling of a paper. He stepped off the paper and saw that it was a letter. He picked it up from the floor and opened it.

_**Byakuya, **_

_**Meet me in the wood in half an hour to discuss an important matter. Just look for a giant x.**_

_**Anonymous **_

At first he was skeptical about accepting this invitation. What if was a trick or something? Maybe Hisana was behind this. But why would she call him out to the woods to talk. The Hisana he knew would usually blurt out what she needed to say, like the mindless idiot she was. Could it be from someone else? Unfortunately curiously got the better of him and he decided to flash step to the destination written on the paper.

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It took Byakuya twenty minutes before he saw an enormous x craved into the ground. As he stopped, he felt unusually exhausted. How could he feel so weary after only a hundred feet of shunpo? When he was training with Yoruichi, he could go miles before even feeling an ounce of fatigue. But he stood up straight and waited for this person to get here. Little did he know that just behind the shrubs, Hisana lay in wait.

Hisana POV

She couldn't believe it. He was actually here, waiting for her to defeat him. Her plan was going to work this time.

"Well, what are you waiting?" Ryu asked as he rested on Hisana's shoulders. "He's right over there."

_It seems that the elixir hasn't completely taken affect. _She thought. _Let's give him a couple more minutes._

Hisana let a few more minutes pass before finally deciding that it was time. But before she could do anything more, she felt an uneasy presence. It was a hollow. She glanced at Byakuya who was calmly waiting. The elixir had probably neutralized his ability to sense a hollow as well. She wanted to warn Byakuya, but it was too late. The centipede hollow came crashing down on Byakuya. Luckily Byakuya saw the hollow coming and was able to avoid his attack at the last minute.

Byakuya POV

"It was foolish of you to attack me." he unsheathed his zanpakuto and brought it close to his face. "Now you will pay with your life. Chire Senbonzakura." But nothing happened.

"Chire Senbonzakura!" he shouted again. But his zanpakuto remained in its sealed form. The hollow charged at him again, Byakuya barely able to avoid it.

_Senbonzakura, what are you doing?_

"It's not my doing." She said. "You have no spiritual pressure."

_What__! But how can this be?_ But before Senbonzakura could respond, the hollow catch him between his scythed like claws. A giant grim appeared on his face.

"There is nothing more scrumptious than a soul reaper. But it's so hard to find one as defenseless as you." the hollow brought him closer to its mouth. But Byakuya stabbed his blade into its jaw. The hollow gave a horrid screech as it let go of Byakuya. He tried to run away, but the hollow was too fast for him.

_No, __it's not the hollow that had gotten faster. I have gotten slower._

Hisana POV

Hisana watched in horrible as her most hated enemy was being thrashed around like a rag doll. No one deserved this, not even Byakuya.

"Hisana you have to do something!" shouted Ryu.

"But, what about the plan?"

"Forget about the damn plan! If you don't, Byakuya will be killed, and it will be your entire fault." Hisana just watched as Byakuya tried to cast a kido, but failed.

This wasn't what she wanted. She just wanted to get away from him, not for him to be killed. The hollow had now grown tired of this game. With one wave of its massive forearm, it threw Byakuya into a tree, knocking him out cold. The hollow roared in victory.

"Now its time to eat." He slivered towards the unconscious soul reaper. His jaws opening slowly, when suddenly he heard a cry from the back.

"Hadō 31 _Shakkahō_!" Without warning a red fire ball hit him, tearing off three of its legs. The hollow let out a cry of pain as it backed away from Byakuya. He turned to see Hisana, her hands ready for another attack.

"Get away from him, now!" she shouted. "Or else."

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry, but I just have to give Hisana the same drawing abilities as Rukia's .


	8. Chapter 8: Rise of the Rainbow Dragon

Chapter 8: Rise of the Rainbow Dragon

"Or else what?" The hollow stood up straight, though he was wobbling because half his limps on his left side were missing.

Hisana took one step closer. "Or else I will have to kick your ass!" the hollow glared at Hisana before erupting in laugher. Hisana fast grew red. How dare that thing laugh at her?

"What the hell is so funny?" she shouted as she took another step closer toward the hollow.

"It's just very amusing how you are trying to protect your boyfriend."

"HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!! I DON'T EVEN LIKE HIM!" She screamed. "I just don't want that dumbass to get killed by the likes of you!"

"How noble of you." the hollow grinned. "It's a shame that you will die with him." suddenly Hisana felt something slash across her back. The blow was so strong that it made Hisana fall to knee.

_What was that?_ She glanced up and to her horror, saw three more hollows, all of them identical to the first one, behind her. Before she could react, all three hollows came charging at her at once. One hollow tried to smash her with his massive forearm, but Hisana quickly dodged it. The other two swung their scythed like claws at her, but she avoided those too, only to be sent crashing to the ground by the first hollow.

"Have you had enough?" Hisana lifted her head from the ground and turned towards the hollow. Her face suddenly lid up with shock. He was completely healed. The limps that she had shot off had grown back. "Because I would really hate to bruise you up before eating you."

Hisana pick herself up from the ground, ignoring the bleeding wound on her back. "There is no way that I will give up." she said as she positioned her hands for another kido attack.

"I see." He sighed. "Then it is a good thing that I like my meat soft." The hollow again charged towards Hisana.

"Hadō 31 _Shakkahō_!" this time Hisana blasted off a large chunk of flesh from one of his lower segments. The other hollows came at her, but she quickly unsheathed her zanpakuto and with a quick flick of the wrist, cut all three hollows into pieces. Hisana turned to the injured hollow, only to discover that he had again healed him.

"How the hell..." but before she could finish, she felt two set of jaws biting down on her arms. She was able to pull away, but not fast enough. She glanced at her arms, which were covered in her blood.

_How can this be?_She thought as she stared at the group of hollows in front of her. _How can there be so many hollows in one single area without anyone noticing?_ Her force fell onto the very first hollow, his horrid white mask stained with the blood of either her or Byakuya. His body was still in one piece. _And how can he keep healing himself? It doesn't make sense._

"Hisana! Look at those clumps of hollow flesh! " shouted Ryu. Quickly she turned her head and to her horrible watched at the lifeless flesh began to bubble. They twisted and turned, slowly building up into a swarm of hollows.

"He can regenerate!" she shouted out loud.

"What a smart girl you are." She turned at the hollow. "Each piece of flesh I lose became a copy of me. That is why I have allowed you to injury me so much. You were building up my army of hollows. Many soul reapers don't figure out my trick until it's too late. But yet again, you really don't have much time anyways. " the group of cloned hollows began surround her. Their bodies created a wall around her, which there would be no escape. The original hollow crawled his way into the center of the circle. In his jaws was Byakuya. He opened his mouth and dropped him into the center. Hisana ran to his side, "Byakuya!" she screamed.

"I'm sorry." She said as kneeled down beside him. She laid her hand on his head. His black hair was drenched in blood that now trickled down his face. "I didn't mean for this to happen." She closed her eyes, trying to keep herself from crying.

"Aw, isn't that sweet?" The hollow mocked her. _No!_ She thought. _It's that damn hollow's fault!_ "How about I do you a favor? I will eat you first to spare you the pain of watching him die." The hollow made one last charge at Hisana, his jaws wide opened, thirsty for the taste of blood. But the hollow was stopped in his tracks by the sudden release of reutsu. The hollow looked around in confusion. _Had someone come to save these soul reapers?_

But then he looked at the two in front of him. The intense was coming from Hisana

"You bastard!" she said as she rose up. "You're going to pay for what you have done." She pulled up her zanpakuto and pointed it directly at the hollow.

"Cover the skies, RyuNiji." She shouted. Suddenly the blade turned to dust and began to circle around her, growing bigger with every rotation. The black hilt coiled around her arm like a serpent from her shoulder to her hand, where it finally stopped leaving a round gem on the top of her hand. The hollows watch in pure awe as the dust began to take shape. Suddenly clouds of dirt shot up causing the hollows to break the wall they had created. When they cleared, there stood a massive beast taller than most building in the Seireitei. It was a gray transparent dragon. His body was that of a snake, but had two massive forearms that he was lending on. On his back were two giant bat-like wings. The hair that ran down his back moved back and forth due to the retsu surrounding him. His eyes shined a blood red as he slightly opened his jaws, revealing a row of razor shaped fangs. And in the center of this beast was Hisana. The fury in her eyes was sending chills down his back.

"RyuNiji." She said. The dragon nodded and gently lifted her fukutaicho, before placing him out of harms way.

For what seem like eternally, everything was still. The hollows just stood still; most afraid of what this woman's shikai could do to them. A couple them, however, where unfazed by her, and charged at her from the back. But Hisana turned her head.

"Ryu_ kaze!"_ she shouted as the gem on her hand glowed purple.The dragon began to turn a dark shade of purple. And with one flap of his wings, an immense wind blew all the charging hollows into the trees nearby. Another group came at her from the left.

"Ryu _tsuchi_!" the colors of RyuNiji began to morph, going from purple to green in a matter of seconds. RyuNiji lifted his forearms and slammed them on the ground, raising a wall of earth, blocking the hollows attack. The others tried to escape but more walls shot up, trapping them within.

"Goodbye." She said with a grin on her face. "Ryu_ Ka!" _the dragon opened its jaw as its surface turned a crimson red. A stream of flames came shooting out of his mouth, completely engulfing the hollows. Hisana just stood as she listened to the dying word of the hollow.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, SOUL REAPER!!" shouted the hollow as his voiced faded away.


	9. Chapter 9: Caught Redhanded

Chapter 9: Caught Red-handed

Hisana watched the fire burn, making sure that every hollow was dead before deciding to put it out.

"Ryu _mizu"_ she said calmly. The dragon turned blue and left Hisana's side to fly over the flames. Water began secreting from every pour of his body, like a rain cloud. Within minutes, the flames where gone, and the only remnants of the hollows were charred ashes and some bones. The hollow said that that he could regenerate with flesh. So Hisana doubt that he could come back now.

"Hisana." Called out RyuNiji as he landed beside Hisana. "Those wounds look severe. You should have me heal them." Unfortunately Ryu was right. Her entire uniform was drenched in her blood. The gash on her back, which she had ignored until now, was now throbbing in pain. Blood was running down her arms. But Hisana's focus was on Byakuya. Quickly she walked towards her fukutaicho. He was still bleeding.

"I'm alright..." Strangely she was overcome by guilt. _For some reason I like this is my fault._

"That because it was your fault." Ryu said loudly.

"Stop reading my mind, damn it!" she turned to Byakuya.

"Ryu sora." Ryu suddenly changed pink. "Heal Byakuya."

"Hisana, are you sure about this? I only have enough strength to heal one of you."

"Just do it." she shouted. Without another word, RyuNiji wrapped himself around Byakuya lifting him up. The pink glow that radiated from his body began to heal every cut and bruise on his body. The dragon suddenly turned back to dust, dropping Byakuya to the floor. The hilt began to unravel and fell to the ground. The dust gathered at the base of the hilt and formed the blade once more. The fall helped Byakuya regain consciousness, who at first was confused.

"Where am I?" he asked as he sat up.

_Thank goodness He's okay_. She smiled weakly. And if Byakuya could hear her thoughts, he suddenly towards her.

Byakuya POV

"You!" he stood up. His face at first was full of anger. Surely he must have figured that Hisana was somehow responsible for this. But his anger was subdued the sight of her injuries. His face returned to its usual calmness. "Tsumura, you look worst than usual." Hisana's smiled dropped to a frown. _Great, he's back to normal._

"You ass." She said before she felt herself falling to the ground. Instinctively, he rushed to catch her before her body hit the ground.

"Tsumura!" he shouted as she landed into her arms. "Tsumura, speak." But Hisana was out cold. He looked around for the hollow that had attacked him early, but all that was found ashes. He could tell by the thousands of bones that it was just not one hollow that was here, but a whole army. He looked down at Hisana. Her wounds indicated that she had indeed fought all those hollows by herself. But what he had found more shocking is that the fact that his wounds were gone while her wounds were still bleeding. His uniform was wet from the blood coming from her back. He was certain that he had been injured by that hollow, but now there was no evidence that he had even been attacked. Had she healed him without even thinking of herself?

"Could she have..." two soul reapers from his squad suddenly appeared.

"Kuchiki fukutaicho," one of them said. "Are you alright?" Byakuya did not respond. He lifted Hisana up handed her to one of the soul reapers.

"Take her to squad 4 immediately." he nodded as he left with Hisana.

"Kuchiki fukutaicho." The second soul reaper called out. But Byakuya wasn't listening. All he could do was worry about Hisana.

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"Hisana." she heard.

_Is someone calling my name?_ Slowly she opened her eyes. A blurry figure was hanging over her.

"Hisana!" as she focused her vision, the image began to become clearer. It was Isane. A mixture of relief and annoyance was on her face. "Hisana, you have to be more careful. You could have been killed." Hisana looked around the room to see that she was in one of the rooms of squad 4. Isane suddenly stood up and left.

"Get off your lazy butt, Hisana!" she shifted her eyes towards her legs to find Ryu sitting on top of them. Hisana lifted herself up. Amazingly her wounds were gone. Isane is getting really good at this. She thought.

"Damn, Hisana! You were out for two day. I thought you would never wake up."

"Spare me your crap!" she shouted as she bent her legs so rapidly that it knocked him to the floor.

"Well, aren't you a ball of sunshine today!" Ryu crawled onto the bed into her lap. "What's up with you?"

"I lost my chance to get out of squad 6." Hisana sighed as she lowered her head. "And to make matters worst, I almost got that jerk killed. I know that I will probably get the Sōkyoku for this." After a moment of silence, a grin appeared on Ryu's face

"OR you can look at this in a different matter." Hisana just glared at him.

"What are you rambling about, you crazy little lizard." Ryu just threw her a cold look.

"Ok, first of all, call me a lizard again and I will kill you!" Hisana rolled her eyes back. "And second, you saved Byakuya's life. That means he owes you big time. Just make a suggestion about being transfer out of squad 6 and he will gladly approve of it."

Moments later, Isane came back into the room. "Your fukutaicho will be here soon." She said.

"What!" Hisana shouted. "Why!"

"Well he told me to inform him the moment you regained consciences." She said with a nervous tone. "And he was very clear on that." Hisana jumped out of bed and ran to the door. But then she stopped.

"Crap, I might run into him." she turned around and then ran to the nearest window.

"Hisana, what are you doing?" Isane asked.

"I'm leaving before Kuchiki finishes me off." She lifted on leg onto the windowsill when…

"Tsumura!" she turned her to see Byakuya standing at the door. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Um, I was just stretching." She pulled away from the window and stretched her arms high into the air. "My muscles are a little sore from lying in that bed for a couple of days." But she knew that he didn't believe her.

"Get away from the window." Without a word, Hisana sat on the bed. Byakuya then faced Isane. "You may leave now." Isane immediately left the room, closing the door behind her. Hisana watched him slowly as he made his way across the room, before sitting on the chair next to the bed. "Tsumura, the other day you were injured because you were trying to save me, is that correct?"

"I guess you can say that." Hisana said. _This is it! Now I can ask him for the transfer._ She thought as she did a little victory dance in her head.

"And I wanted to show my gratitude as soon as you awoke." _YES! I'm finally out_! She tried not to smile, but it was too hard. But then his face hardened.

"But then I began thinking what you were doing there in the first place." Hisana's smile suddenly turned to a worried frown. Byakuya turned to her. "So what were you doing there?" Hisana tried to think of an excuse, but she knew that he had already begun to suspect her. "I ask you again, Tsumura, what were you doing there?" his tone more forceful than before. Hisana didn't understand why, but for some reason his presence was making her uneasy.

"Hisana, don't you dare crack now!" Ryu shouted in her head.

"You were behind the whole thing, were you?" Hisana couldn't take it anymore. She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe.

"Yes!" she shouted. "It was me! I wrote the note and gave you an elixir that made you lose your powers and made you walk into the forest to fight!" she said in one breathe. She opened her one of her eyes slightly to see the rage on his face. "But I didn't mean for the hollows to attack you, I swear!" Byakuya stood up, not even taking a second glance at her.

"And why should you believe you?" he shot back. Hisana said nothing. What could she say that wouldn't make things worst. "And to think I was actually grateful to you." Byakuya walked towards the door, but stopped halfway. "And by the way, you are due for a meeting with Kuchiki taicho."

"Kuchiki taicho?" Hisana said. "But why?"

"He wants to know about the hollow attack."

"You're not going to tell him about me, are you?"

"No." he said in an empty tone. "That will be your job. I'm going to let you stew in your own guilt until you confess to the taicho." And with that he left, leaving Hisana a nervous wreck


	10. Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

Chapter 10: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

"In the day in question, the remains of approximately 138 hollows were discovered." Said Kuchiki taicho as he read the report given to him by the 6th and 8th seat of his squad. "Kuchiki fukutaicho was discovered at the scene with Hisana Tsumura of squad six, who was severely injured and needed immediate care from the fourth squad." Hisana and Byakuya just stood side by side quietly in front of their taicho's desk as they listened to him. He continued to read the paper. "When asked why they both were there, Kuchiki fukutaicho reply that Tsumura had followed him." the taicho set the papers down and turned to Hisana.

"Tsumura, why did you follow your fukutaicho?" Byakuya gave Hisana a quick glance. He could tell that she was too nervous to even speak. Hisana opened her mouth to answer him when Byakuya interrupted her.

"She followed me because she sensed the hollow too." He blurted out.

"Explain."

"I knew that the hollow was around the area, and I went to attack him on my own. But I became careless during the battle and I allow the hollow get the upper hand in the battle. In fact if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here now." Hisana just stared at him in utter shock. She couldn't believe that this man who was defending was the same man who had tortured her every day.

"I see." The taicho stood up and walked towards his fukutaicho. "Well, I have to say that I am very disappointed in you Byakuya; to think that someone in my bloodline would be defeated by a hollow."

"Forgive me, Kuchiki taicho." Byakuya lowered his head. Hisana wanted to confess that it was her fault and that Byakuya was just covering up for. But a quick cold glance from Byakuya stopped her. The taicho then turned to Hisana.

"And as for you."

_This is it._ She closed eyes, waiting for her punishment. _I'm getting the__ Sōkyoku for sure!_

"I am very impressed by your abilities." Hisana did not answer. "Are you aware that the hollow you defeated was a very powerful one?"

"He was?" Hisana said in surprise. But she wasn't that shock because hollow was very hard one to kill.

"Indeed, in the 20 years that he had evaded the soul society, he had killed over 50 soul reapers."

"Damn." Hisana suddenly covered her mouth. She had sworn in front of a taicho. But he did not seem to notice. The taicho extended his arm towards Hisana.

"May I see your zanpakuto?" Hisana quickly removed her zanpakuto from her waist and gave it to the taicho. "This is the blade you used against the hollow, correct?"

"Yes, Kuchiki taicho."

He studied the sword carefully. He paid close attention to the black hilt of the sword, which was covered with eight gems. Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink, White, and Black.

"And what do these jewels represent?" he asked.

"Those represent a different element." She answered, not knowing where he was getting at.

"A different element?"

"Yes. When I release my zanpakuto, those have control of a certain element. Red controls fire, Yellow controls lightening, Blue controls water, Green controls earth, Purple controls wind, White controls ice and snow, and Black controls darkness."

"And what does the pink gem control."

"That is its healing ability. It is usually referred as the element of heaven. Or that is what RyuNiji has told me." Hisana felt so dumb, talking excessively about her zanpakuto. She was sure that Kuchiki taicho didn't give a damn about what her zanpakuto did.

"That is very unique." He handed the zanpakuto back to her. "In all my years, I have never seen a zanpakuto with more than two elemental attacks, let alone eight."

"Um, thank you Kuchiki taicho." Hisana said as she bowed.

"You have the potential to become a seated officer. I could probably place you as the 20th seat. You already have surpassed him in form of strength."

"Oh, I could never be a seated officer." Hisana said as she shook her head in disapproval. "I barely have any control of my zanpakuto. And to be perfectly honest, I don't really have any other skills besides my kido, which isn't all that great." She knew she was lying about her kido abilities. In fact, her senpai in the academy that told her that she had enough skill to be in the kido corp. But there was no reason that the taicho needed to know about that. Especially since her goal was to get out of squad six.

"In that case." He turned to Byakuya. "Byakuya, you will be her sensei until she meets the requirements for eligibility of a seated position."

"What!" they both shouted simultaneously. Hisana tried to argue against this but Byakuya stopped her. He knew that there once his grandfather decided on something, there was no reasoning with him. They just left without another word.

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"Fukutaicho," Hisana said as they both walked down the halls. Byakuya turned her way. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" he said. They both stopped.

"You had a chance to get me in real trouble, probably even executed. And I know that I am not your favorite person. In fact, I think we can both agree that we hate each other's guts."

"Of course." He said.

"Then why? You could have told him the truth, but instead you lied to the taicho, even if you got in trouble in the process." Byakuya was silence for a few second before finally giving her an answer.

"You saved my life." He said as he looked away. "Even if it was completely your fault, I must admit that you risking your life to save mine was an admirable act. I figured it was the least I could do."

"Thank you." Hisana said as she bowed in respect for her fukutaicho.

"Do not thank me." Byakuya snapped back. "I did not stand up for you because I wanted to or even because I like you." Hisana stood up to see his usual cold express. "It was only because I was indebted to you. So consider my debt to you repaid." He said as he walked away, leaving Hisana alone, completely baffled. Ryu suddenly appeared on her shoulder.

"Wow, you're taking this quite well." He said. Hisana attention suddenly fell to him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, since he is your sensei now, you're going to have to spend all your time around him now." Her eyes widened in shock.

"Hey Byakuya." She shouted as she tried to catch up to Byakuya but he was gone.

"Damn!"She shouted. She knew that that ass was going to make her pay for almost getting him killed by a hollow. That is probably why he didn't rat her out to his grandfather. He probably wanted to be the one to discipline her. And she thought that he was actually being nice to her for once.

"Damn it." She said as she leaned on a nearby wall. "I knew I should have let that hollow eat me."


	11. Training With Byakuya: Part 1

Chapter 11: Training With Byakuya, Part 1

"I can't believe this!" Hisana said as she let out a big yawn. The sun had barely begun to peek over the buildings as she walked down to squad six training area. It was 6 in the morning and already she was an hour late. But it was Byakuya's fault. Who the hell has a training session at 5 in the morning?

"You know that you're in big trouble, right?" said a half awake Ryu as he hung over her shoulders like a scarf. "He said 5, no later."

"You know what? I'm way too sleepy to pretend that I actually give a damn." She yawned again. "Damn bastard making me get up so early!" Hisana looked around her. the only other people that were up this early were members of squad 4 who were sweeping the grounds and a couple of idiots from squad 11 who had gotten drunk off their asses the night before. But she guessed they didn't count since they were sleeping off their hangovers in the streets. Hisana stopped in front of the gates of the training grounds. She was a little nervous because Byakuya was probably pissed off at her right now.

_He'll get over it._ She thought as she pushed the doors and poked her head it. She looked around to see if he was waiting for her. Surprisingly he was nowhere to be found. Could he have just left after awhile because she was late? See that he was gone; she stepped into the area and closed the doors. No sooner had she closed the door when a zanpakuto stabbed into the door on her left, nicking the ends of her hair. Her body was pressed against the door. She looked up to see Byakuya. His left hand was on his zanpakuto while his right was pinning Hisana down.

""What the hell, YOU FREAKIN' PSHYCO!" Hisana shouted as she pushed him away.

You're late." he pulled his zanpakuto from the wood and placed it back into his sheath. "I told you be here by 5."

"And that gives you the right to try to kill me, you crazy bastard!" she swept the hair off her shoulder. Ryu, of course, had fainted.

"Now you know what the consequences are. Now let's start your first lesson." he said as he walked toward the dojo. Not wanting to piss him off anymore, she followed him. As she slid the door close, she turned around to see her fukutaicho taking off his kosode, exposing his well toned chest. "Your first lesson is swordsmanship."

"What the hell are you doing?" she screamed as she covered her eyes.

"I don't want to soil my kosode in sweat or blood, especially yours." He folded his kosodeand set it aside. He picked up two kendo swords. "Here is your kendo stick."

"Put your kosode back on!" she shouted.

"Shut up!" he said as he turn on of the kendo sticks at her, hitting her in the head.

"What the hell was that for?" she shouted as she rubbed the lump that was forming.

"For being an idiot."

"YOU JERK!" she said, but immediately covered her eyes again. Byakuya did not respond to her. He just came at her with his kendo stick. Hisana was able to block his first attack, but she had to move her hands from her eyes in the process. Now she was getting a good view of her topless fukutaicho that made her blush a deep red. She was sidetracked long enough for Byakuya to attack her, sending her crashing into the wall.

"Focus Tsumura."

"Hey, you're not fighting fair!" she said as she stood up, her cheeks still as red as tomatoes. "I'm just too gross out by you that I cannot concentrate about kicking your ass!"

"Get over it, you whining brat." He said.

"How would you like it if I took off my kosode!" she said as she pulled one of her arms into her kosode.

"Don't even think about it!" he shouted as he turned away.

"Don't flatter yourself." She stuck her arm back into her shelve of her kosode. "Please! Like I would ever show you anything." Byakuya just threw her a cold glare.

"Stop being annoying, because we're not stopping until you are able to strike me at least once."

"What!" she shouted. "Are you kidding?"

"Less talk, more fighting!" Again he began attacking her. Hisana swung her kendo stick, but Byakuya was too quick. Byakuya hated to admit it, but she had gotten faster since they had last dueled. Her reflects had become sharper. Her endurance for pain was impressive, to say the least. Every blow he had given, she had just brushed it off and continue to fight. Byakuya came up from behind to give her a strike, but Hisana turned around at the last second and deliver a painful punch to his stomach.

"Cheap… shot." he said as he held his stomach in pain.

"Well, I guess training over now." Hisana couldn't help but smile as Byakuya crouched in pain.

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After their sparing session, Byakuya decided that the next lesson was going to be on shunpo. This time, it would be held on one of the tallest buildings in the Seireitei. Hisana decided not to be late for this lesson. After all, after this morning's little attack, she was already aware of what that crazy bastard was capable of. When she arrived, Byakuya was already waiting for her. Knowing him, he was probably still pissed at her for defeating him earlier today.

"It's about time." he said when she arrived.

"Cry me a river." She said as she rolled her eyes. "So anyways, what are we doing here?" suddenly Byakuya flash stepped behind Hisana and pulled her zanpakuto off her waist. "Hey! That's mine, you bastard!"

"You want it, then come and get it." He said as he flash stepped across the other buildings. Hisana quickly ran after him.

"Give me back my zanpakuto, you jerk!!" she shouted as she chased after him. But with his speed it was impossible. After a couple minutes of pursue, Hisana finally stopped. Her body tried from trying to catch with Byakuya. Byakuya soon stopped in front of her.

"You truly are pathetic." He said. Hisana looked up, still grasping for air.

"Go to… hell." Hisana tried to catch her breathe. "We're not all fukutaicho!"

"Then How about some motivation?" He placed her zanpakuto, which he had held in his hand before, next to his own. "You have until sunset to catch me. If you do not, then I will be forced to dispose of your zanpakuto."

"What! You can't do that!" but Byakuya just gave her one of his cocky little smirks as he took off once more.

"Damn you!" she shouted as stood up and followed him.

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After hours of chasing that jerk, an exhausted Hisana finally gave up as she sat on a crate in the streets. She glanced at the sun as it was setting and fast. In like about ten to twenty minutes, Byakuya was going to do god knows what with her zanpakuto. But could she do? She knew that there was no way that she was going to catch him. He was trained by the goddess of flash herself! In her mind, she could already hear that little smartass Ryu scolding her for losing him in the first place.

"That's it!" she immediately stood up and began listening to anything that had an annoying littlie voice like Ryu. Sure enough, within a few seconds, she heard him complaining.

"Damn you Hisana! I can't believe that you lost me! I hate hanging out with Byakuya and his stupid stuck up zanpakuto! Hey! Quit slapping me with your damn fan!" it was coming from the left.

"Here you are." Quickly she flash stepped as fast as she could towards the direction that Ryu was coming from. As she got closer she saw Byakuya just standing by a pit. Many have told her that it was it was once used to send hollows and the condemned to their death.

_THAT BASTARD!_ She thought as she came up from behind and tackled him. Unfortunately she didn't think things through because she had sent both of them falling into the pit. _Crap!_ She thought as she fell deeper into the dark_. I'm going to die next to this jerk!_ she closed her eyes as she fell into something that smell horrible. She opened her eyes to discover that she has landed on trash.

"What the hell!" she got up and began brushing away the trash that had gotten stuck to her uniform. She glanced to the side and saw Byakuya standing next to her, his hair and uniform covered with trash and dirt.

"May I ask what the hell you were you thinking?" He said. "It is very fortunate for us that this pit has been used only for trash for the last 50 years!"

"I guess I didn't think things though." she said as she snatched the back of her head. "But I still caught you so hand over my zanpakuto!" Byakuya pulled out her sword, but instead of giving it back, he threw it into a giant mound of trash behind him.

"What the hell!" Hisana screamed, "I caught you!

"It took you so long that we have to meet again tomorrow. As far as I'm concern, you failed." He left leaving Hisana to dig through the trash.

* * *

Sorry about this, but might be my last update for a while until I get caught up with homework. Sorry!


	12. Training With Byakuya: Part 2

Thank goodness for winter vacation! Now that I am done with school, I can start updating my stories!

So here is Chapter 12!

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Chapter 12: Training with Byakuya; Part 2

After yesterday's little fiasco, Hisana decided not to test Byakuya's patience anymore. Today she woke at four in the morning and was at the training grounds by 4:30. She actually couldn't believe that she was here before Byakuya. Since she was early, she decided to rest for a couple of minutes while she waited for that noble bastard to arrive. She sat down in the farthest corner and closed her just for a couple of seconds.

Byakuya POV

Byakuya arrived at the gate one minute before 5. He looked around for Hisana, but she was nowhere to be found. It didn't surprise him one bit that Hisana was not here yet. After all she was a lazy, stubborn little pain in the neck. He could swear it was like babysitting a five year old rather than training a soul reaper. He opened the gate and stepped inside. As he looked around, he noticed something or someone in the corner. As he walked closer toward it, he recognized it to be Hisana.

"What do you know, she on time for once in her life." As he stood in front of her, he noticed that her eyes were closed. She was sleeping. "Of course. Wake up!" he said out loud. But she didn't move an inch. The only thing that seemed to be moving was her mouth. He heard her say something, but it was so faint that he couldn't make it out. He bent over, getting closer to her face.

"Rukia." She said softy. "I'm sorry."

"Rukia?" he repeated. "Who's Rukia?" it was at that moment that Hisana's eyes opened and focused on the pair in front of her. With one quick motion of her hand, she gave Byakuya a slap in the face, sending him into the ground.

"What the hell!" he yelled as he stood up.

"I could ask you the same thing! What were you doing, you weirdo!" He wanted to ask about the name Rukia, but he did not want to seem noisy.

"Nothing. Let's being the training."

Hisana POV

_Crap!_ She thought as she walked behind her fukutaicho. She had dreamt about Rukia again. Ryu had told her before that she sleep talks when she has one of those dreams. Could she have been talking in her sleep again? Did Byakuya hear anything? They had now entered the dojo.

"Um, fukutaicho." She said as she and Byakuya stopped. "Sorry about that. I'm not use to waking up with guys staring at Me." but Byakuya ignored her and continued with his lesson.

"Today I will teach you about kidos."

"There's no need. I can perform a level 54 Hado without the incantations." She gloated, but Byakuya was not impressed.

He walked over to the farthest wall and pressed hard on one of the planks of wood. Several panels of the floor opened and several stone beams rose from the chambers of the floor.

"Yes, but without an incantation, the kido is weaker. This will put you in a grave disadvantage when facing an opponent who will not give the chance to do the incantation." He walked over to a pole in the room. "These beams are made the same material used for the walls of the Seireitei. Even though it is not as strong as the wall, it is still difficult to blast through these beams. You will use a kido to attack this beam." Hisana stood in front of pole.

"Hado #4 _Byakurai"_ sheshouted as a jet of blue lightning shot from her finger and stuck the beam. As the smoke cleared, it left behind a large hole appeared. Hisana was so content that she had pierced the beam.

"Ha!" she shouted as she grinned with pride. But Byakuya was not impressed.

"You call that a powerful attack." The smile on her face dropped.

"Like you can do any better, you stuck up bastard!" she shouted back at him. Byakuya pushed Hisana aside.

"Hado 4 _Byakurai_." He said quietly as a stream of lightning, three times larger than Hisana, shot from his finger, striking the beam. Hisana closed her eyes as smoke shot up from the beam. When she opened them, she was speechless. Byakuya had not only pierced the beam, but also the four beams right behind them.

"Wow!" was the only word that could express her shook. Byakuya turned to her, his smile going larger as he saw that look of astonishment on Hisana's face.

"That is how it should be done, Tsumura." He gloated. But Hisana was not listening. She was still in shock.

"Now you will try until you have blown through at least three of the beams."

"Are you kidding me!" she shouted. "What makes you think I can do that?"

"Because there will be no breaks until you finish your task at hand!"

"You bastard!"

_**Three Hours later**_

Hisana was exhausted after trying for hours to finish her assignment. She had only been able to get thought two of the beams. But still it still wasn't good enough. She glanced to the side towards Byakuya, who was sitting to the side, just watching her. He had that same dumb smirk on his face. The same smirk he has when he is enjoying her suffering.

"What the hell are you smiling at!" she shouted in frustration.

"At how pathetic you are." He got up and made his way to one of the beams. "If you can not blast your way through at least three of the beams" he said as he knocked on one of the beams, "then you are weaker than I thought."

"Shut the hell up!" Hisana shouted. "Hado 4 _Byakurai!"_ she cast her kido towards Byakuya, but he moved to the side seconds before the kido could hit him.

"Damn it" Hisana said as she fell to her knees. She had used all her strength in that attack. "I missed." With that she collapsed to the floor. Byakuya walked over to her to see that she was unconscious. He turned towards the beam and was shocked. In her fit of rage, Hisana had not only blast through two beams, but five of them.

"Little idiot." He turned his attention towards Hisana. "You overdid it." He decided to let her rest. She would need her strength for the next lesson.

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"Hisana," she heard someone call. "Are you dead yet?"

"Ryu…" she opened her eyes, only to see white. "Holy Crap!" she screamed as she jumped to her feet. "I'm blind!"

"You're not blind, you idiot!" He shouted. "You just have something on your face." Hisana reached for her face and pulled a paper covering her eyes.

"Where is he?" Hisana looked around the room, but Byakuya was no longer there. The beams that once covered the room were gone. She looked down to the paper.

_**Your next training session is to take place in the woods**_

"Crap!" she shouted as she raced out the dojo and towards the woods.

_How long has he been waiting_? She thought as she shunpo as fast as she could.

"About two and a half hours." Ryu said.

_Why didn't __you wake me up, you pint size bastard!_

"Hisana, you were out cold! I couldn't get you up even if I wanted to."

"Damn it Ryu! She crossed the river. _If Byakuya kills me_, but before she could finish, she spotted Byakuya. He was just leaning on a tree, with his eyes closed. He looks like he was in deep thought. Or at least asleep.

"Um, Byakuya." Hisana stepped closer towards him. Suddenly his eyes opened.

"Took you long enough." He stood straight, taking his back off the tree. "Are you ready for your final lesson today?"

"I guess."

"Good." He unsheathed his zanpakuto. "We will battle using our shikai."

"Are you insane?" she shouted out at him. "I'm not fighting you with my shikai!"

"You don't have a say in the matter." He held his zanpakuto close to his face. "Chire, Senbonzakura." Suddenly the blade scattered into thousands of petals. There were so many of these petals that she couldn't keep her eyes on all of them.

"Hisana, do something!" shouted Ryu. "Those petals are actually blades and they are just as sharp and deadly as bigger blades!" as the sun hit the blades, Hisana could now see that she was surrounded by blades.

"Bakudo 73 _tozansho!"_ She shouted as a pyramid-shaped barrier formed around her.

"So you can cast a level 73 Bakudo." He said as the blades bounced of the pyramid-shaped barrier. "Impressive, but without the proper incantation or strength, it can not hold off my attack for long." The blades began attacking the barrier all at once, shattering it. Hisana watched in fear as the walls that were supposed to protect her shattered into tiny pieces. She could not believe that that a level 73 Bakudo could not even stop his attack. She just waited nervously as the blades floated around her.

"You are pathetic." He said as he threw her a cold glare. "But yet again this does not surprise me. You are nothing more than trash from the Rukongai."

Hisana tightened her grip around her zapankuto. "You are destined to amount to nothing." Byakuya was asking for it.

"Cover the Skies, RyuNiji!" Hisana shouted as the enormous gray dragon formed around her.

"Did I say something that offended you?" He said.

"I am sick and tired of creeps like you telling me that I am weak!"

"Is that so?" he directed all the blades to attack her at once. "Then prove to me that you are more than what I think you are!"

"Ryu Yuki!" the dragon suddenly turned white. His jaws opened and out poured a white mist that froze all the blades in place.

"What the…" started Byakuya. But before he could finish, the dragon suddenly vanished. Then he was tackled from behind. As he hit the floor, he suddenly felt a blade on his neck. He glanced up to see Hisana at the end of the blade.

"I do not need to prove to you, or anyone else, my worth." She pressed the blade closer. "You got that?" she got up, slowly withdrawing her blade away from Byakuya's neck and sheathing it. She began to walk away when she her Byakuya speak.

"That's all you needed." He said just as Hisana stopped.

"Excuse me?" she turned around, giving Byakuya a hateful glare.

"When you are upset, your strength increases ten fold." Byakuya picked his zanpakuto from the ground and sheathed it. "I just wanted to see if I could get you mad enough to fight me at your full strength."

"So all that stuff you said about me being worthless was not true." She said as her anger began to subdue by the thought that Byakuya might not hate her. Her glare disappeared.

"I never said that." He said quickly as he noticed the gentleness in her face "I still think you are a complete waste of my time."

"And this is coming from the guy whose ass I just kick." She shouted back.

"You think too highly of yourself. If I were to fight you for real, you would have been dead in the first five second."

"You jerk! Would it kill you to say something nice to me?"

"Probably." He said as he left.

"You Ass!" she screamed. But then she smiled. Maybe that was his way of complimenting her. As she looking into the sky, she saw the sun setting.

"I should get going." She said to herself. She had to be rested for tomorrow training session.

* * *

Author's Note: I'll try to get another chapter up this week.


	13. The Deal

Forget to proof read this chapter, so I'm posting Chapter 13 again due to spelling errors.

Thanks Judd for pointing that out!

* * *

Chapter 13: The Deal

_**SIX MONTHS LATER**_

Byakuya had to cut Hisana's training session short today. Of course she had no objections to this sudden change. That was the type of person she was. But he couldn't really say that she hasn't improved in the six month since she started. Her speed had improved greatly. Her ability to cast kidos without an incantation was exceeding his highest expectations. She was even able to keep up with him, even if was just for a couple of seconds. But he would never tell her that. She would become cocky and careless.

"Hmm." he muttered to himself.

_Well more cocky anyways. _

He entered his grandfather's office to find his deep into paperwork. He glanced upwards as the door closed behind Byakuya.

"Forgive me Kuchiki taicho for not coming sooner. I was training with Tsumura."

"Yes, how is she coming along?" Byakuya remained silent for a couple of seconds. What could he say about her? She was improving; there was no doubt about that. But if there was one thing he couldn't do, it was to praise her on anything.

"She is not completely a lost cause." He said coldly. He could only imagine the thrashing Tsumura would give him if she had heard that comment.

"It's good to hear that she is making improvements. I knew that you would have a positive affect on her." His focus left his paperwork as he reached for something in the top drawer of his desk. He pulled out a white envelope and handed it to Byakuya.

"What is this?" Byakuya asked as he took the paper from his grandfather's hand.

"It is an invitation to a birthday celebration, Held in honor of Captain of squad 8 and head of the clan, Shunsui Kyōraku. It is being held one week from tomorrow."

"And you want me to accompany you." He said. He knew that his grandfather had no one to accompany him as his grandmother has passed away a long time ago.

"No. Byakuya, I hate to admit it, but I am getting on in my years. Soon you will be head of the Kuchiki clan, and it is the sole duty of the head of the clan to attend formal gathering. That is why you are going in my place." Byakuya just nodded. "Beside, I cannot stand that skirt chasing drunk." The taicho added quickly.

"I understand."

"It's settled then. Now you must find someone to accompany you."

"You mean like a date." Byakuya said in displeasure. If there was one thing he hated, it was the thought of dating. Even though he was handsome, he had never really gone on an official date. Many clan members have been pressuring him to find a bride so he could give the clan an heir. They went as far as to line up dozen of women for him, whom they thought were best for him. But these girls were shallow, having nothing more to them but a pretty face. "I really don't have anyone in mind."

"Not a problem. I believe that the Ōmaeda clan has an elder daughter; I think her name is Maremi. Though they are not of noble class like the Kuchiki clan, they are still a well respected family. The eldest daughter seems like a suitable companion." Byakuya practically was sick of the thought of him going with that beast of a woman. She practically looked like her father except with longer hair and a thinner mustache.

"That is not necessary. I can find someone on my own." He said as he left.

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Byakuya was screwed. He had to find someone to take or suffer going with that thing. As he walked down the halls, he could hear Senbonzakura speaking as she formed besides him.

"So what will you do Byakuya?"

"I haven't the slightest idea. I absolutely refuse to go with that Behemoth." He stopped by a nearby tree and leaned against it.

"Well, you better start thinking Byakuya!"

"Stop pressuring me! It's not like the answer will fall from the sky." his trail of thought was suddenly interrupted by something on his head, breaking into pieces as it landed. He reached for the foreign object and as he pulled it down to his view, he discovered it was a rice ball.

"Sorry about that." Cried an all too familiar and annoying voice. He glanced up to see Hisana sitting on a branch. "Oh, it's just you. Never minded." She said as she reached into her basket and pulled out another rice ball.

"Tsumura, What are you doing?" he shook the remains of the rice ball out of his hair.

"Eating my lunch." She stuffed the entire rice ball in her mouth.

"In a tree." Byakuya said as Hisana gulp down the rice ball quickly. "Why would you eat in a tree?" Hisana just shrugged.

"I guess old habits die hard." She said, reaching for another rice ball

"Idiot." He said as he sighed heavily. Senbonzakura lifted her head slightly towards Hisana.

"What about this one?" she said to Byakuya.

"Are you out of you mind!" he shouted loudly. "Why would I willingly take this little pain in the ass?"

"You talk as if you really have a choice. This girl is the only female you associate with for more than a couple of minutes."

"I will never take her!"

"Fine then. Enjoy your date with the gorilla woman." Senbonzakura said, grinning at him. Byakuya sighed. She was right.

Hisana POV

_Why is he talking to __himself?_ She thought as she crammed another rice ball into her month. She wished she could get closer to him to hear his conversation.

"He's not talking to himself." Ryu said. "He's talking to his zanpakuto."

_Really, what are they __saying?_

"Sorry that is confidential. It's a golden rule among us zanpakuto to not discuss our private conversations with others. That would make us gossipers."

"Tsumura!" she heard Byakuya shout. "get down here now."

"Why should I?" she shouted.

"Because if you don't, I will come up to get you." Not wanting to fight him on a full stomach, she decided that she would listen to him for once. She leaped from the branch and landed on her feet in front of Byakuya.

"So what's up?" She said as she stood up straight.

"Tsumura, I have a proposal for you." He cleared his throat as he closed his eyes. "I need you to accompany me to a social gathering one week from tomorrow." He said in one breath, hoping she could not figure out what he had just said. He opened his eyes. Hisana had a blank look on her face. Then there was a couple of seconds of awkward silence.

"So you're asking me out on a date?" she said, breaking the silence.

"No I am not. I am asking you to come with me to a social gathering. That's completely different." But Hisana just started laughing

"That a good one, Byakuya!" she tried to stop her laughing. "And who said that nobles don't have a sense of humor." She opened her eyes to see a frown on Byakuya's face. "Oh, you're serious. In that case, let me laugh harder!" after about a minute of Hisana laughing at him, Byakuya decided that he had enough.

"Are you done yet?" he shouted, making Hisana stop laughing.

"Oh come on Byakuya! Me go everywhere with you is plain out ridiculous!" She said to him. Byakuya had to do something quick. She was his only hope of having a decent female companion to the event. And he used the word "decent" very loosely. Then the answer suddenly hit him.

"What a shame." He said as he turned the other way. "If you did accompanied me, then maybe I could say that you were too busy in preparation that you could not train." Hisana raised her right eyebrow.

"Where are you getting at?" Byakuya turned, revealing a grin on his face.

"You come with me to the party and in exchange you will be excuse from training for two weeks, starting tomorrow."

"Make it two month." Hisana shot back.

"How about three weeks." He responded.

"Ha! It will take more than a measly three weeks for me to go out with you. Make it One month." They both stared at each other for what seem like forever. Both of them watching each another to see who would give in first.

"Deal." Byakuya said. "Be ready in one week." He said as he took his leave.

"Hisana!" shouted Ryu as Byakuya disappeared. "Why did you agree to go on a date with him? I thought you hated him."

"I do." Hisana smiled. "But I got off of training for one month and all I have to do is go to some stupid little party. As fair as I'm concerned, I got the better deal." She said as she dug deep into her basket, reaching for another rice ball.

Byakuya POV

"You look content." Stated Senbonzakura as she and Byakuya walked down the halls to the sixth division. "I would imagine you being upset by the fact that you have to go to the party with that girl."

"Why would I be upset?" Byakuya's smile widened. "I no longer have to attend the party with beast girl and I do not have to see that little pest for an entire month."

"Then why not give her the two months?" his zanpakuto asked.

"Because grandfather would be very upset if she does not train for two months."

Both POV

"What an idiot." They both said in triumph as Hisana continue to enjoy her lunch and Byakuya entered his office.

* * *

Author's Note: To see how Maremi looks like, watch the Bleach Shinigami Picture Book: Ep 144


	14. The Guide to Perfect Etiquette

I'm sorry for another long wait! Well, here is Chapter 14.

* * *

Chapter 14: The Guide to Perfect Etiquette

Hisana was awakened by the rays of sun hitting her eyes. She opened her eyes slowly as she realized that it was past dawn and she was still in bed. "This is the life." Hisana stretched out her arms as she lay in her bed. She tilted her head slightly towards the clock and smiled as she saw the time. She couldn't remember the last time she slept pass 10 in the morning. She placed her arms behind her head and rested on them.

"No early mornings, no training, and No Byakuya!" she said, shouting the last part out loud. But then she was pulled from her utopia by the shouting of her zanpakuto who was resting on her desk.

"Hisana, what are you still doing in bed!" but instead of shouting back, Hisana retaliated by throwing her pillow at him. The pillow hit its mark as it got jammed into Ryu's mouth.

"Stop your damn shouting!" Hisana said. Ryu took out the pillow and spat out feathers from his mouth.

"Not until you get out of bed! You have a lot of training today." Ryu coughed out some more feathers.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hisana shot up from bed the second she heard the word training. "I don't have training, you dumbass!"

"I wasn't talking about your regular training." Ryu moved to the side, revealing a stack of books behind him. "I was talking about etiquette training." Hisana crawled towards the pile and picked one up.

"How to be the prefect lady." Hisana read the title out loud. "What the hell is this crap?"

"This is for you!" He took the book from her. "You need to start right away if you're going to be ready in one week."

"No way in hell am I going through this!" she tossed the book back onto the pile.

"Hisana, you're going to a high class noble party. And your manners are atrocious to say the least. What will you do then?"

"I guess I'll wing it."

"Honestly Hisana, do you really think that Byakuya will forgive you if you make him look like an ass in front of the other nobles?"

"Please, like he needs my help in that department?" she sat back on the bed.

"You're missing the point! If you blow this, Byakuya will destroy you." Hisana gulped loudly. He was right. If she thought that her life was tough enough already, she couldn't even begin to imagine what he would do to her if she made him look bad at the party. She let out a heavy sigh.

"Where do we start?"

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**Day One**

"Ok, Hisana." Ryu opened one of the books. "I think we start with the simply task of talking with people."

"I already know that!"

"True, but you don't know how to talk to nobles." "According to the book, you must never address anyone so informally." Hisana just rolled her eyes. "And you must address everyone of higher class as Sama."

"So I add the word Sama to everyone's name and watch my mouth. What's so hard about that?"

"Even Byakuya."

"Excuse me? Did you just say what I think you said?"

"Yes. Byakuya is a noble so you must address him as Byakuya-sama throughout the whole night."

"So what you're basically telling me is that I have to lie my ass off all night, pretending that I respect that stuck up jerk when in reality I don't!"

"Pretty much. That and you can not swear at him." Hisana just gave him a blank look.

"This might be harder than I thought." Ryu said as he tried to explain it to her.

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**Day Two**

"Next is posture." Ryu said as he held a book in one hand and a roll out newspaper in the other "It says here that perfect posture is important to a well mannered lady. Now stand up straight."

"Do I have too?" Hisana complained as she sat on the floor. "This is such a waste of time."

"Fine then! Go screw up at the party so Byakuya can have a reason to tear you limb from limb!"

"Damn it." she said as she stood up as straight as she could. "How's this?" Ryu circled around her, inspecting her carefully. He crawled back up to her head.

"Wrong!" he said as he wacked her on the head. "That is not right!"

"What are you talking about? I am standing straight."

"According to this book, you aren't!"

"Oh really?" she grabbed the book from his claws and looked carefully at the illustration. "I honestly can't tell the difference."

"That is a common reply from someone as unsophisticated as you!" Ryu took the book back and made his way back to Hisana's feet. "See, you your feet must be together." He whacked her legs. Quickly Hisana moved her feet closer together. Ryu then stood up on his hind legs.

"Next, you can not bent your knees." He gave her knees a tap. She unbent her knees.

"Don't stick out your stomach." He hit her on the stomach. Hisana just look down at the flat surface she called a stomach.

"What stomach, you idiot." She shot back.

"Don't argue with me." Hisana took a deep breath and sucked in what little stomach she had. Ryu crawled up her back.

"Don't slouch!" he gave her a smack on the back. Hisana straighten up her back. He looked carefully at her arms.

"Keep your arms next to your body." Ryu hit her arms. Hisana pressed her arms closed to her body. Finally Ryu crawled on to her shoulders.

"And keep your head up." he placed his claw under her chin and lifted it. He jumped off her shoulders and landed on the floor. After a moment of carefully evaluating, he spoke. "Now you have prefect posture. How do you feel?"

"Really uncomfortable." She said as her body felt stiff.

"That means you're doing it right." He said in a positive tone, but Hisana just stepped on him.

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Day Three

"Here is your next lesson." Said Ryu as he stood in front a small table. Plates of food were on top of the table. "Table manners."

"Sweet!" shouted Hisana as she reached for a rice ball. "Lunchtime!" But her hand was smacked with a rolled up newspaper.

"Hisana! You can't just let yourself go towards food like that." He pulled out the book. "It says here that a proper young lady must wait to be served. In other words, no touching!" with a scowl on her face, Hisana sat down.

"Well, are you going to serve me or not?"

"A perfect lady must ask politely"

"May I 'please' be served now?" Ryu picked up a spoon of rice and dropped it on her plate. Hisana frowned at the size of her portion. "How about some more food?" she said as she held up her plate for more food. But Ryu just pushed it away.

"I don't think so. A proper young lady must never eat more than her proper servings."

"And how big is my proper servings suppose to be?"

"The size of your palm." He held out his palm.

"The size of my palm." Hisana looked at her hands. To her dismay, they were no way near as large as her usual servings. "Are you out of your mind! Maybe I get filled with using Byakuya's palm, but not mine."

"Just shut up and eat your damn food." Hisana threw him a cold glare as she picked up her chopsticks and began to eat. But then Ryu hit her in the head with the spoon.

"What the hell was that for?" She shouted.

"Don't chew with your mouth open." Then he gave her another whack.

"And that one was for talking with your mouth full!" Hisana grabbed the spoon quickly and tossed it across the room. "Hey!" Ryu yelled.

"Shut up and give me some more rice!"

"Try asking nicer, you brat!"

"Damn it. Can I have second?" Hisana held out her bowl.

"I don't know? Can you?"

"Little pain in the ass." She muttered under her breath. "May I have seconds?"

"Nope." He said as he quickly placed the lid on the rice.

"But I asked politely!"

"Yes, but it says here that a perfect lady does not overeat. And Besides you threw my spoon." Hisana threw the bowl at him, hitting him in the head.

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**Day Six**

"Hisana, are you sure that Isane won't mind you breaking into her room and taking one of her kimonos?" Ryu asked as Hisana rummage around Isane's closet.

"Of course she won't. It's not like I'm stealing anything. I'm just burrowing one without asking so I take it to the party."

"Isn't that the same as stealing?"

"No its not! I am going to return afterwards." "Besides, it's not like I have much of a chose. The book says that I need to dress in a kimono for special occasions. I don't have anything like the book says.

"Then maybe you should buy one then, you cheapskate !"

"Yeah right. Like I'm going to waste the money I have been saving up for years just to look pretty for that ass!" Hisana stopped arguing as soon as she founded what she was looking for. She pulled out a beautiful light blue kimono. The bottom of the kimono and the right side was a light shade of indigo with white flowers on it. She remembered how nice Isane look in it when she wore it. At first as she put it on, she hoped that she would look descent in it. But then she heard Ryu burst out in laugher.

"What the hell is so funny!" she shouted in frustration.

"You are!" he wiped the tears from his eyes. "You look like a little girl trying on her mother's dress!"

She looked in the mirror and was in complete disappointment. The kimono looked ridiculous on her. The bottom of the kimono dragged on the floor. Her arms only fitted half the sleeves as the other half hung down. And even with her uniform on, the rest of the kimono hung loosely on her, making it look baggy.

"Damn it." she said as she removed the kimono and placed it back in Isane's closet.

"Don't worry." Ryu said. "Maybe Byakuya will provide you with something to wear."

"He damn better!" she shouted as she walked out of Isane's room.

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Thank goodness!" Hisana said as lay on her bed. "I can't believed after six day of that crap, I'm done." She suddenly sat up. "And it's because of you!" Hisana picked up a book that was lying near her and hurled it towards Ryu.

"Hey!" Ryu shouted as he barely dodged that attack. "What was that for?"

"For making go through with that crap!" Ryu just rolled his eyes. "Do you know how many times I had to stop myself from strangling you!"

"It was for your own good! I couldn't send you without have some manners. That is why I had to help you." Hisana gave him a skeptical glare.

"Help me? Are sure it wasn't to torture me."

"A little of A and a little of B, if you want to get Technical ." But Hisana didn't really care.

"Well, thanks, I guess." She laid back down. "I just can't wait for this to be over so I can finally enjoy my prize." But Hisana felt worried about tomorrow. What is she messed up even once? what if she does something to make Byakuya look bad?

"you will do fine." Ryu reinsured her.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to read my mind." She reached for the candle and pinched out the flame.

"Sorry, it's a habit of mine." Ryu said as he made his way to Hisana's zanpakuto. "Anyways, don't worry about it. you'll do fine as long as you remember the golden rule."

"Do my best."

"No. Screw up, and Byakuya will kill you." he said before fading into dark.

"Stupid dragon." She said as Ryu's departing words continue to ring in her head. This was going to be a very long night.

* * *

Author's Note: To all the Byakuya fans, I'm sorry for not having him in this chapter. But he will be in the next one. I promise.


	15. All in Preparation

Chapter 15: All in Preparation

At last the day in wait had arrival. It was the day that Hisana had been dreading all week. The day she would have to go on a date with the Seireitei most annoying and arrogant man, Byakuya Kuchiki. The question she had on her mind was if the festivity started at 8 in the night, then why the hell she had to be here by three in the afternoon, even though she was an hour late already. He probably did this just to get her mad!

"Are you ready for this?" asked Ryu as they stood outside the gates of the Kuchiki estate.

"Of course not!" she shot back. She had never been so nervous in her life. Her stomach was in knots, her knees were shaking, and she was sweating a lot. "But it's not like I have a choice."

"You know, it's not too late to turn around and make a run for it." Ryu suggested.

"Oh yeah, and have Byakuya hunt me down for breaking our agreement."

"Yeah, I guess that would be bad." Ryu agreed with her.

"Also…" she grabbed Ryu by his throat and brought him to her face. "I didn't go through a week of your Etiquette torture crap just to chicken out at the last minute!"

"Ok… I get it." He said as she let go of him.

She placed her hands on the gate. "Here goes nothing." With that, she pushed open the gates as walked into the estate. As Hisana walked up to Kuchiki estate, she couldn't help but be impressed. The buildings here were huge. Buildings, that could house hundreds of people, were just for one family. And the scenery was beautiful. There were koi ponds and luscious green bushes all over the place. But what she like best were the dozens of cherry blossom trees that surrounded the area. As she walked near the trees, she noticed that they were in full bloom. Their lovely petals were now a darker shade of pink.

"These are beautiful." She said as looked up towards the blossoms.

"Thank you." Hisana turned quickly to see Byakuya standing behind her.

"I was complimenting the tree, not you, you egoistic jerk." But Byakuya just ignored that statement. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her attire.

"Are you planning on wearing your soul reaper uniform to the party?"

"That Depends. Will it piss you off if I do?" she smiled with a smile on her face. Byakuya just glared at her.

"Follow me." He said as he turned and begun to walk towards the nearby building. Hisana soon followed.

"Hey Byakuya." Hisana said as they entered the mansion. Byakuya stopped and turned to her.

"Why must you always address me so informally? It is Kuchiki fukutaicho." He said in an icy tone.

"Spare me the lecture and let me talk, you bastard!" she shot back. "Tell me why I have to be here so early?"

"To get you ready"

"And what does that mean?" she shot back.

"I knew that you would come unprepared, as you always are, so I decided not to take any chances." He walked towards the door. "You may enter now." The door slide open and in came in a much older woman. She was probably a servant here at the Kuchiki manor. But she was so well dressed in her tan kimono and not single hair was out of place. The woman lifted her head and took a quick glance at Hisana.

"Is this the one you spoke of, Kuchiki sama?"

"Yes. I need her to look decent for tonight, if that is possible." The woman walked up to Hisana and closely examined her.

"Completely inappropriate attire." She tugged on the shelve of her uniform. She grabbed her chin and turned her head to the right then to the left, before letting go.

"No use of make up." She then forced on Hisana's hair, lifting some stands up.

"A rat nest for hair." She let go of her hair.

"And a complete disregard for personal hygiene." She said, pinching her nose. She turned to Byakuya. "It will be quite a challenge, but I think I can manage, Byakuya-sama."

All the while, Hisana was trying her hardest not to go off on these two narcissistic asses. But it was very hard when they were insulting her like if she wasn't even here.

"Calm down, Hisana." Ryu told her.

That's easy for you to say! They're not talking crap about you in your face!

"Just remember why you're here. To get three more weeks of doing nothing all day." With that, her anger began to subside.

"Tsumura." Byakuya called her. "You will follow Sakuma-san so she can get you ready." His eyes then narrowed. "And do not give her any of your crap. Do you understand?"

"Of course." She said. Suddenly she was grabbed by here shelve by Sakuma-san.

"Come on." Sakuma said as she led Hisana out of the room. "I have three hours to transform you into something beautiful, so we do not have time to waste."

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"In here, hurry."Sakuma said as she shoved Hisana into another room. As Hisana regained her balance, she noticed two other women who looked strangely similar to each with the exception that one wore a pink kimono while the other wore a blue.

"Hitomi. Naomi" she heard Sakuma call out.

"Yes, Sakuma sama." They both answered simultaneously.

"We have three hours to fix this mess." she said as she shot a glance at Hisana. "Let's get to it."

"Yes, Sakuma sama." The two said as they began shoving Hisana behind a screen. Without warning, they began stripping Hisana of her clothes.

"HEY!!" she protested as her last article of clothes was removed, but before she could say anything else, she was pushed into a tub of water. Quickly Hisana emerged from the water as she gasped for air.

"Naomi." Called out the elder woman."

"Yes, Sakuma sama." Answered the girl in the blue kimono.

"Find something suitable for her." she walked over to the pile of clothing and picked up her zanpakuto. "And take this with you." tossing the blade towards her.

"Yes, Sakuma-sama." She said as she caught the zanpakuto and quickly rushed out the door.

"Hey!" shouted Hisana between breathes. "That's mine!"

"You will have no need for it tonight." She said as she picked a bucket of water and poured it on her head."

"Crap!" she shouted as the cold water hit her. "It's freakin' cold!"

"If you would have been on time, it would have been warmer. So Deal with it." she said as she poured pink liquid on her hair.

"I took a bath before I got here!" she said as the other girl began to massage the liquid into a white lather. The scent of this stuff was so strong, it was making her dizzy.

"Is that so?" Sakuma poured another bucket of water over her. "You might as well been rolling around in a puddle mud." Sakuma glared at Hisana for a moment. "Let's repeat." She poured another stream of shampoo on her head.

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"OW!" Hisana shouted as Sakuma brushed her hair. The girl in the pink kimono was painting her lip red. "Are you trying to pull out my hair!" as she jerked her head, she caused the girl to smear the red paint across he cheek.

"Hold still." She snapped as she ran the brush through her hair. "Hotomi, clear that mess up." the girl nodded and began rubbing the red off of her cheek.

"I would if you weren't brushing so hard!" but Sakuma just tugged on her hair fiercely.

"Well, it is very difficult with all these knots in it. I have brushed children's hair that was less tangled than yours." She gave Hisana one last tug with the brush before pulling her up, warping it into a perfect bun. Meanwhile the girl had finished applying her blush.

Just then, the blue girl walked in, carrying a stack of kimonos.

"Here are the kimonos, Sakuma sama." The woman frowned as she scanned through the pile.

"These will simply not do. They are too brightly colored and will not go with her black hair." She grabbed the kimono that was at the bottom of the stack. The kimono was black with a mixture of white and pink petals scatter across the dark surface, making them stand out more. Truly it was lovely kimono.

"This will have to do." She said as she put the kimono on Hisana. She then got a purple obi and wrapped it tightly around her waist.

"There." She walked her towards the mirror. "Now you are finished." Hisana wasn't listening though. She was too focused on the figure that was in front of her. At first she couldn't believe it was her. The girl in the mirror looked more like a noble than her. Quickly, she made one small modification as she pulled a couple of strands of hair out of out the bun and positioned them in between her eyes. Now she looked like Hisana.

_Well, close enough._ she thought

"Look at the time." Sakuma said in horror as she glanced at the clock it was almost seven. "We must leave now!" she grabbed Hisana by the arm and led her out the room.

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Byakuya paced around the room as he waited for Hisana to be ready. Even once in a while he would glance up at the clock on the wall. It was already 7. They would have to leave soon if they did not want to be late.

"Honestly, how long does it take for her to be ready?" he asked in frustration. At the same time, he was having doubts about his plan. Should he really take someone like her as his date? All he could think about was all the ways that girl could make him look bad. All those unpleasant scenarios playing in his mind were making him uneasy. Suddenly the screen slide open and in walked Sakuma.

"Sorry for making you wait, Kuchiki sama." She said as she bowed. "It was a difficult task, but I assure you that you will be pleased with what you see."

"Let's hope so." He said in his typical icy tone.

"You may enter now." She called out to Hisana. As she entered the room, Byakuya tried hard not to show his utter shock.

The woman that stood before him could not possibly be the same idiot that he saw everyday.

Her hair was neatly combed in a bun, not messy like she usually has it.

Her lips were a beautiful ruby red, while her cheeks glowed with a light pink shade.

But what really amazed him was her kimono. The kimono was an elegant black with white and pink cherry blossom petals scattered across the bottom and the back. Around her waist was a violet obi to match her lovely violet eyes. And to top it off, the kimono hugged nicely around her body revealed her practically hour glass figure. With the baggy uniform she worn all the time, he didn't really think she had a figure, but now he was able to see every curve on her.

"How do I look?" Hisana asked him.

"You look…" he started out, but then stopped himself from finishing. What could he say about her? To say she looked nice would be the biggest understatement of the century. Not even beautiful was the appropriate word. She was absolutely stunning. But he couldn't tell her that. She might think that he had gone soft. He cleared his throat.

"You look decent." He said as he noticed the slight disappointment in her face. "Let's go." He said as he walked outside. Hisana soon followed.

Hisana's POV

To say that she was wasn't a little disappointed with Byakuya's response was a lie. She was hoping for him to at least say she looked nice. But she knew that was asking too much from a cold jerk like him. But still…

Her train of thought was then broken by the squirming of Ryu.

She noticed that her zanpakuto was lending against a door while she made her way to Byakuya, so she decided to pick it up and hid it before Sakuma saw her. Luckily for her, her zanpakuto was small and thin enough to fit on her without notice. And the kimono was loose enough to conceal it.

_Cut it out!_ She told him telepathically as she stopped midway to the gate. Ryu's head popped out from the back of her kimono.

"Well excuse me for feeling uncomfortable!" he shouted back. "I still don't understand why I have to go with you."

_Just in case I might forget some stupid rule, since these nobles have practically a rule for everything_. She told him. _And who knows, I might have to hurt someone tonight and I want to be prepare._

"Tsumura!" shouted Byakuya, who was already outside the gate, next to the horse and carriage. "Hurry up!"

"Coming." She rushed over, trying to ignore that look of annoyance on Byakuya's face.

As she stood outside the carriage, she took a deep breath. _Please don't screw up_. She thought to herself as she stepped into the carriage.

* * *

ok, next chapter is their actual date. And I will try to have it up by next week.


	16. Proper Introductions

Hurray! I'm back. My sincerest apologies for the long delay.

* * *

Declaimer:

Ok, before you start reading this chapter, I have made a list of things that I assume. That means I am not a 100% sure if it is accurate.

I assume that:

Kenpachi Zaraki is captain of squad 11.

Nanao is Lieutenant of squad 8. (thought she might be too young)

Kaname Tosen is captain of squad 9 (He was the 5th seat 100 years ago, and he got rid of the first 4 seat before him)

Isshin Kurosaki is a captain. (He lost his Shinigami powers 20 years before the storyline. So he should be a captain at this period of time. But I'm not sure from what squad.)

* * *

Chapter 16: Proper Introductions

Hisana felt a little bit uncomfortable as she next to Byakuya. This was the first time that they have done anything together outside of training. He was wearing a navy blue kosode and hakama. And wrapped across his neck was the same light green scarf that the taicho wears. He had his arms folded across his chest with his eyes close. Hisana hated to admit it, but Byakuya looked very handsome. If she didn't know that he was a self centered jerk, she might actually be attracted to him.

"Ha!" Ryu laughed. "You like Byakuya!"

_I do not like Byakuya!_ She thought, but that did stop him from mocking her.

"Hisana and Byakuya sitting in a tree," he started singing.

_SHUT UP!_

"K. I. S. S. I. N. G."

_I SAID KNOCK IT OFF!_

"First comes love,"

_Why YOU LITTLE BASTARD!_

"Then come marriage,"

_RYU, I'M WARNING YOU!_

"Then comes Hisana with a baby..." Hisana suddenly slammed her back the seat, silencing her zanpakuto. Seconds later she could hear Ryu moan in pain.

"That... was a .. cheap shot." He growled, but Hisana just smiled in satisfaction.

_Serves you right, you pain in the ass_. She glanced at the corner of her eye to see that Byakuya was staring at her.

"Are you alright?" he asked

"Um, Yes. I just felt something crawling in my kimono." She said as she nervously smiled.

"Right." He said as he reached into his shelve and pulled out a little white box. "Here, put these on." He handed the box to her. Hisana opened the box. Inside were two tiny hairpins. They were gold and at the tip of each hairpin was the image of a pink cherry blossom.

"If you are going to accompany me, you must look your best."

"These are beautiful." She said as she picked them out of the box. But then she realized that she didn't have the slightest clue on how to use them. "So how do I put these on?" she asked, clearly seeing the aggravation in his face.

"Must I do everything?" he snatched the hand pins out of Hisana's hands. He leaned towards her and carefully positioned them in her hair.

Hisana couldn't help but to blush as she had never had Byakuya this close to her without trying to attack her. She tried to look away, she was always drawn back those beautiful gray eyes of his.

"There." Byakuya said as he pulled away. "Now you look perfect." Hisana could feel all the blood rushing to her face, turning it a dark red now.

"Are you blushing?"

"No!" she turned away. "It's just so warm, and here I am wearing a kimono."

"Aww, how cute!" Ryu tease her. Hisana responded by slamming her back even harder against her seat. "OWW!" he shouted. She then turned to Byakuya.

"I finally got it." She said. The carriage then came to a stop. The door opened and Hisana immediately got out. She took a deep breathe as she thought that she could finally relax. But as she saw the large mansion she realized that it was just beginning.

"Let's get this over with." Byakuya extended his elbow.

"What are you doing?" Hisana asked in confusion.

"I'm waiting for you to grab on."

"I don't think so! I know the way inside thank you very much."

"For once in your miserable life, will you just follow orders!" He snapped at her. But she still refused. "Do it now or you can forget about the deal!" Hisana gave him a cold glare. But she couldn't risk losing her three week vacation just because she wouldn't grab his arm.

"Fine then." Reluctantly she grabbed hold of his arm. "Let's just get this night over with..." she sighed. "Byakuya sama." She said with extreme distaste.

"You two make a lovely couple." mocked Ryu, who apparently recovered from her last assault.

_Shut up or I'm crashing into a wall next._ She told him as Byakuya led her inside.

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"Wow." Hisana said as she and Byakuya enter the mansion. It was the only word to come to her mind. The mansion was huge, to say the least. It wasn't nearly as nice or as big as the Kuchiki Manor, but it wasn't far from comparison. The main ball room was massive. There were at least over 100 guests and the room still looked kind of empty. Off to the side there were dozens of tables scattered around the place. Some of them have guests sitting at them as they ate or chattered. The rest were buffet tables that were serving food and drinks. The smell of the food filled her nostrils and made her stomach growl.

Focus. She told herself as she looked away from the food and instead towards the guest. She could tell that most of the guests were probably friends and family of the Kyoraku family. The rest were taichos and fukutaicho.

She saw Unohana taicho of squad 4 in deep conversation with Ukitake taicho of squad 13. Kenpachi Zaraki, taicho of squad 11 was happily enjoying a couple of dozen drinks with Isshin Kurosaki, taicho of squad…

"Will you stop gawking like an idiot!" Byakuya snapped at Hisana. But she ignored him. As they walked passed the table, she saw at one of the tables, she saw Aizen taicho and Ichimaru fukutaicho of squad 5 as they dined with Tosen taicho of squad 9.

Aizen Taicho. He was truly one of most popular taichos in the Seireitei. He was kind, clever, and quite handsome. He would greet everyone with that wonderful smile of his, which would warm every woman's heart. But Hisana was not as naïve as the others. She knew this was not genuine kindness. No, she knew well enough to see that this was nothing more than an act. But why would he go the trouble acting so nice. There was something about him that made her feel uncomfortable, like an unseen darkness lurking within him. But she couldn't put her finger on it. Ichimaru fukutaicho must have sense her staring at him, because moments later he got up from the table.

"Hiya Byakuya kun." He said as he walked towards them. Anxiety began to build up within her as he came closer, until she could take it no longer.

"Hell no." she said before pulling away from Byakuya and rushed away.

How she despised Gin Ichimaru with every fiber of her being. Just his appearance told Hisana that he was one man you could not trust. With his scrawny body, his pale white skin and that consent idiotic grin of his, it reminded Hisana of a snake. And she hated snakes.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice anyone in front of her until she bumped into him.

"Pardon me." She looked up and saw that that something was Ukitake taicho. She quickly bowed her head.

"I'm so sorry Ukitake taicho! I didn't mean to be so careless."

"Careful taicho." Someone said. "You might give that girl a heart attack."

_That voice._ She thought. _I know that voice. _Her mind began to fill memories from long ago. She looked up. That head of black, spiky head and that oh so cocky smirk on his face. She knew that once again she was in the presence of Kaien Shiba

"I'm not trying to." The taicho turned to Hisana. "It's alright Miss." Hisana watched as Kaien's eyes focused on her. He must be wondering why she looked so familiar.

"There you are." Byakuya's voice came as sigh of relief. The look on his face revealed that he was not too happy about her abandoning him. "Stop bothering Ukitake taicho and Shiba fukutaicho."

"She's not bothering anyone, Byakuya." Kaien said. Hisana could tell that Byakuya was extremely annoyed by being addressed so informal. "So why don't you introduce us to your date." Again Byakuya glared at him with annoyance.

"Of course. This is..." but Hisana interrupted

"Oh Byakuya Sama." She said very loud. "Do not bore them with such trivial information." She began tug on his shelve. "Come and get me some punch Byakuya Sama." She turned to the two men. "It was nice meeting you Ukitake taicho and Kaien fukutaicho."

"What are you talking about?" Byakuya shot at her. "There's punch right here." He said as he pointed the table next to them.

"Shut up, Byakuya sama!" she said more forcibly. With one final tug, she was able to pull Byakuya away.

"Odd." Kaien said as he watched Byakuya and the girl walk away.

"What is?" ask Ukitake taicho.

"I don't recall telling that girl my first name." a bewildered Kaien said.

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"I don't understand why you couldn't have the punch at the other table." Byakuya complained as he poured her a drink. But Hisana wasn't listened to him. Her mind was focused on the obstacles that had popped up tonight. Not only did she have to be on her best behavior. But now she has to be on the lookout for Ichimaru, Aizen and Kaien Shiba.

She sighed heavily.

And the night had only just begun.


	17. From Good to Bad, In Just Like That

Chapter 17: From Good to Bad, In Just Like That

"So where's the so call birthday boy?" Hisana asked as she and Byakuya were being seated at their table

"Over there." Byakuya pointed across the room.

Hisana glanced in that direction and saw him. There sat the birthday boy and taicho of squad 8, Kyōraku taicho. With his extremely pink kimono, he definitely stood out upon the other taichos.

"Oh, he's Kyōraku taicho." She turned back to Byakuya. "All the female soul reapers call him by his nickname."

"And what would that be?"

"Captain Grab ass." She blurted out. Byakuya just glared at her with disgust.

"Don't you dare even utter that name while in his presence." He said quietly, making sure the nearby tables did not hear her.

"Why are you getting mad at me for?" She said defensively. "I didn't come up with that name, I just use it."

"Idiot." He said as he stopped paying attention to her. Hisana looked around the room. Aizen taicho and Ichimaru fukutaicho were far away from their table.

_Good._ She thought as she threw them a cold glare.

"Careful Hisana." Ryu's head popped out from her collar. "I think Ichimaru saw that." Hisana stared at Ichimaru, whose eyes never opened.

_How could you tell? _She turned her head in the other direction, towards Kaien. He was seated with his taicho, also away from her table. She could also see a slender young woman with black hair seated with them. By the way she was flirting with Kaien; she was either his girlfriend or wife.

"Looks like Kaien's already taken." Ryu said.

_Of course he is__!_ She snapped back. Someone with Kaien's looks couldn't stay single forever. That thought made her look at Byakuya. With his gorgeous features, one would think that he would have women lined up to go on a date with him. She wondered why he would resort to taking her.

"Maybe it's his personality."

_Most definitely_. She agreed. She didn't realize that she was still gazing at him until their eyes met.

"I told you to stop staring like an idiot!" he shouted. A servant suddenly appeared with a tray of food.

"Greetings," she said humbly as she served them. "On behalf of Kyōraku sama, please enjoy the food."

The food looked so delicious. Steamed rice, Nikujaga, Tataki, Jiaozi, Karaage Onigiri

And for dessert, anpan, and mitarashi.

It all looked so good, she couldn't decide on what to eat first. But before she could dig in, she felt a sharp pain on her neck. She was positive that it was Ryu biting her.

_Will you knock it off!_

"And let you ruin everything we worked so hard on!"

_But its food! And not just any food, __its delicious free food!_

"HISANA!" he shouted. "Remember the rule, screw up and Byakuya will kill you!"

_Damn it!_ She thought as she reluctantly accepted only one scoop of rice.

Byakuya POV

Byakuya couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had seen that girl eat before and honestly it sickened him how she could eat three onigiries in one gulp. That was the reason he didn't eat lunch with her anymore.

Now, she was eating like a civilized young lady. She was eating as little as possible. She wasn't shoving food down her throat. She was careful to make sure that her elbows did not touch the table or that any food spilled onto her kimono. This defiantly wasn't the same girl he knew.

"Are you alright?" he asked. But she didn't respond immediately. Instead she waited until she was finish chewing her food. Then she swallowed.

"Of course I am, Byakuya sama." She said before she picked up another portion of rice and placed it into her mouth.

What was more astounding was when it was time for dessert. Instead of choosing the sweeter and messy anpan, she chose the Mitarashi.

_I mus__t say_, he thought as he bought his teacup to his lip. _Her behavior tonight is quite impressive._

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_Damn._ She thought as she placed her hand on her stomach. She still couldn't believe that she had all that food in front of her, and all she was allowed to eat was one spoon of rice, one Onigiri and just a couple of pieces of the Tataki. She couldn't even touch the other dishes.

_No __wonder most nobles are thin._

"At least you put on a good act in front of Byakuya." Ryu said in an attempt to cheer her up. But it didn't really help much.

_Shut up!_ She snapped back_. If you really want to cheer me up, go steal me an Onigiri or something! _

"Can we go now?" she asked Byakuya as he finished his tea.

"We have only been here for one hour." He set the tea cup down.

"Yes, and I am already fed up with this party." She snapped at him.

"Well, deal with it. If you leave early, then our current agreement is null and void."

"You can't do that you..." but he cut her off.

"Choose your words carefully, Tsumura." He smirked. "Or you can kiss those three weeks goodbye."

"Yes." She gave him a cold glare. "Byakuya sama." She hated how he was threatening her with their deal. But they did have an agreement, and she had to stay true to her word. He then stood up.

"Let's get this over with." He said.

"Get what over with?" she asked as she looked around. Music was playing and couples were in middle of the room, dancing. Then it hit her

He wanted her to dance with him!

"You have got to be kidding me!" she said in complete disbelief, hoping that he wasn't serious. But the look on his face said otherwise. "There is no way in hell that I am dancing with you!"

"You must or." He started but stopped him midsentence.

"I know. You'll take away my three weeks." She stood up and grabbed hold on his arm. "Damn Byakuya sama. You sound like some stupid obnoxious parrot." Even though she seemed ok as he led her to the dance floor, she was actually freaking out. She didn't know how to dance.

_Ryu, you little bastard!_ She thought. _Why didn't you tell me there would be dancing!_

"Sorry Hisana." He said in an apologetic tone. "I didn't think that Byakuya would actually want to dance with you. That why I didn't go over it with you."

_Do me a favor, next time __don't think!_ She turned to Byakuya. "Um, Byakuya sama, I can't dance." Byakuya looked aggravated. "Of course you can't." He grabbed Hisana's right hand. "Place your left hand on my shoulder." She placed her hand on his shoulder as he slid his right hand down on to her waist. "Now follow my lead. And try not step on me." He said as he stepped forward gracefully with his left foot. "Now step backwards with your right foot."

"Ok." She looked down at her feet as she stepped back.

"Don't look down." He scolded her. She looked back up. "You look like a fool doing that. Just look at me and I will guide you." She just nodded.

As they danced, Hisana had to admit that she felt kind of odd. She couldn't remember a time when she actually touched Byakuya, except to cause him physical damage. She glanced into his eyes. Even though they looked so cold, he body was so warm. This warmth made her feel unusually comfortable. Suddenly she felt very lightheaded. Her eyelids grew heavy as she began to close them.

_He may be an ass__ most of time_, she thought as she rested her head against his chest. _But he is charming._

Her eyes suddenly popped opened. _What the hell am I doing!_ She abruptly jerked away from Byakuya.

"Is there something wrong?" Byakuya asked

"No." she turned away, hiding her redness. "I just got to go um, powder my face." She said before she took off.

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"I thought you two looked cute together" Ryu said as Hisana traveled down the halls of the mansion.

"Shut up!" a bright red faced Hisana shouted. "That dance meant nothing. Now help look for a bathroom. I need some cool water for my face."

"Really?" he crawled from out of Hisana's kimono and hung upside down from Hisana's head as he glared into her eyes. "Then why were you feeling love sickness?" but Hisana slapped him away.

"For the last time, I am not love sick. I'm just tired from being around nobles all night." She placed her hand over her cheek. It was still hot.

"Whatever." Ryu slid back in her kimono. He looked to the side at a door. "I think this is a bathroom."

"about time." She slid the door open and entered it. To her dismay, it was just a room. The room was dark with the only light coming from the full moon that shined down through the window

"What's the matter? Ya lost?" she rapidly turned around to see someone hiding within the shadows.

"Who's there?" she nervously said as she walked slowly into the room. But somehow she already knew who it could be.

"Sorry 'bout that." The figure began to walk out of the darkness, stopping Hisana in her tracks. The moonlight hit his hair, turning it from its usual lavender color to an eerie silver glow. "Didn't mean to scare ya." He said with that horrible grin on his face. The anxiety she felt earlier had returned. Her chest felt so compress like if it was being crushed.

"Gin Ichimaru." She spat out like poison from her lips. "What are you doing here?" she took a step back towards the door.

"Oh, just wandering the ground. How 'bout you, Hisana Tsumura?" Ichimaru's grin was wider than usual.

"How do you know who I am?" she was shocked, to say the least. How could he have known it was her, especially in this getup.

"Oh please." He walked a couple steps forward. "Do you really think Byakuya kun could doll you up enough to hide the fact that you are nothin' more than common trash?" he took a couple of steps forward.

"But as long as we're here, lets talk about your Attitude towards Aizen taicho."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't act so innocence. I saw that nasty little glare ya gave him during dinner. I can tell that ya either don't like him or don't trust him . Ya really lucky that the taicho hasn't picked up on it yet."

"What does it matter how I feel about Aizen taicho?" she snapped back. "Like you said, I'm nothing but common trash."

"Listen girl." He planted his arms firmly on her shoulders, pinning her to the wall. Even with a grin on his face, his face was full of evil that sent a terrible chill down her back. "ya might want to be careful. Aizen taicho is someone ya don't want as an enemy." He released his grasp on her. "You'll be wise to remember that." But as he made his to the exit. "Hey Ichimaru!" he heard the girl shout. He turned to have an Onigiri, which Hisana had hidden in her shelve, smashed into his face.

"I'm not afraid of you, you bastard." Hisana shouted. Her eyes become narrow and full of hate. but that did not wipe that grin from his face.

"Stupid girl." Was all he said as Ichimaru brushed the rice off his face_. it's not me ya should be afraid of._ That was his final thought as he disappeared into the shadow..

* * *

Just a little lesson in Japanese cuisine

Nikujaga- beef and potato stew, flavored with sweet soy

Tataki- very rare skipjack tuna or beef

Jiaozi- pork dumplings

Karaage- bite-sized pieces of chicken, fish, octopus, or other meat, floured and deep fried  
Onigiri- rice ball

Anpan- sweet bun filled with red bean

Mitarashi- sweet dumplings Covered with a syrup made from soy sauce, sugar and starch


	18. All Down Hill From Here

Chapter 18: All Downhill from Here

"What the hell was that about?" Ryu asked as they walked back to the party. "Have you made Aizen taicho mad enough to have Gin on your back?"

"Oh please. Aizen taicho could care less about me. Gin is just probably mad because I'm not one of the taicho's many admiring fans." She was trying hard to play it off as nothing more than a stupid little empty threat from some creepy weirdo, but it felt like something more like a warning.

No. she told herself. It was nothing. I'm just putting too much thought into it.

But now it was obvious that this whole night had been spoiled. Now she just wanted to leave to avoid anymore confrontations with Ichimaru. As she reentered the party, she easily spotted Byakuya talking to a group of guests. She walked up to group and tugged on Byakuya's kosode.

"May we please leave now, Byakuya sama?" he turned around, looking annoyed as she had interrupted him. But his face then soften.

"Is there something?" he could see that she was somehow upset about something. "You look troubled." But Hisana decided not to tell him about her encounter with Gin. After all, she didn't what to cause problems over something as meaningless as an empty threat.

"Nothing is wrong, Byakuya Sama. I'm just tired." She forced a smile on her face.

"Fine then. Let us go greet Kyōraku taicho and then we can leave." They made their to Kyōraku taicho, who was drinking sake from one of the tables. The girl next to him that she thought was his fukutaicho was scolding him. From the look of her, she didn't seem to be much older than Hisana herself.

"Greetings, Kyōraku taicho." Byakuya said. The man suddenly turned and grinned.

"Hey Byakuya." He said out loud. Hisana could easily tell that he was already drunk. "It's good to see you. I'm surprised that your grandfather isn't here."

"Yes, it's quite a shame that my grandfather was feeling ill." He said, knowing that it was a lie.

"A damn shame indeed. Well, at least it wasn't because of the other reason. I swear that I didn't know that woman was his daughter in law." He said as he took a long drink of his sake. Byakuya suddenly felt a nudge on his side.

"What is he talking about?" Hisana whispered to him.

"From what my aunt had said, he has wandering hands." Byakuya responded.

"If he tries to make a move at me, I'm kicking his ass!"

"You will do no such thing!" he scolded her as the taicho finished his drink.

"Hey, what's with the secrecy?" asked the taicho but then he focused on Hisana. "How rude of me not to notice this beautiful woman by your side. What is your name, my dear?"

"I am Hisana Tsumura." She said as she bowed. "It's an honor to meet you, Kyōraku taicho."

"Well, Hisana," he held her hand and gave it a kiss. "It's an honor to meet such a pretty little thing like you." Hisana pulled her hand out of his grasp. "You kind of remind me of my sweet Nanao chan." The woman with the glasses just rolled her eyes.

"Um, thank you Kyōraku taicho." She smiled nervously.

"She is definely a keeper." He told Byakuya as he grinned. "She looked perfect by your side." Byakuya, on the other hand, was not too pleased with the comment.

"That's probably because I take the focus away from Byakuya sama's stupid Kenseikan." She suddenly covered her mouth. She did not mean to say that. It just sort of slipped out. She glanced at Byakuya. The look on his face easily told her that he was going to kill her. But then Kyōraku burst into laughter.

"She even has a sense of humor!" he put his arm around Hisana's shoulder. The smell of liquor was so strong it was practically intoxicating her. "That's a good quality in a woman."

"Thank you." Hisana tried to smile, but then she felt it. His hand on her backside.

_That perverted bastard!_ She thought as she balled her hand into a fist.

"Hold on Hisana!" Ryu shouted. "You can't just assault a taicho. Try counting to ten or something!"

_Fine. One._ She began to count._ Two. _But then she felt a squeeze.

_**TEN!**_ Immediately she pulled away from the taicho.

"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU PERVERT!" She shouted as she gave him a slap on his face. The force of it was so strong; it sent him crashing into the table behind him. Hisana looked around to see all the guest looking at the fallen taicho. Everyone had a look of shock, excepted for Nanao fukutaicho, who looked quite satisfied at the sight.

"Excuse me!" Hisana said as she took off running.

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Byakuya POV

At first, he wanted to chase after Hisana, but instead decided to help Kyōraku taicho up.

"I am sorry." Byakuya said as he grabbed the taicho by the arm to pull him up. "I don't understand what got into her." But Kyōraku taicho just smiled.

"That girl has one hell of an arm." He said as he held his jaw. His cheek had a red hand print on it. "I don't think I've ever been hit that hard before." His attention soon fell on the crowd. "It's ok everyone. I had it coming."

As the crowd began to break apart, Kyōraku taicho walked up to him. "You might want to hold on to that one. she's really something else." He smiled as he began to walk away. But then he stopped. "Oh and tell her I'm sorry about my wandering hands."

When the taicho was gone, he thought about what he had said.

_Hold on to her__._ His frown deepened. _Maybe when hell freezes over!_

"Greetings Kuchiki fukutaicho." Someone called out. He turned to see a woman standing behind him. "I am Hisayo Mochizuki of squad 10. It's an honor to meet." she said as she bowed.

She had long dark brown hair, sapphire eyes and well developed body. Byakuya had to admit that she was very lovely woman.

"Well, it's nice to meet you too." He tried to avoid staring at her. The girl stood up and smiled.

"Kuchiki fukutaicho, I was wondering if I could have a word with you?" she said.

"Actually," he began to turn away. "I have an important matter to attend to." But she grabbed hold of his hand.

"It will only take a few minutes. I promise." She said as Byakuya pulled his hand out of her grasp. He looked around, but there was no sight of that stupid girl. She must have gone into hiding.

"I guess a couple of minutes wouldn't hurt." He said.

"Great! Is it ok if we talk outside? It's quite crowded in here." She said as she led him outside.

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_I guess its save to come out_. Hisana peered out from the table was hiding under. Quickly she crawled out from under the table and stood up. She looked around the room. To her surprise, everything was calm and people were going around like if nothing had happened. She could no longer see Aizen taicho of Ichimaru. They must have left by now. Her focus shifted from them to 'captain Grab Ass'. From across the room she could see Kyōraku taicho at another table. His face was still showed the evidence of their encounter. She still couldn't believe that she slapped him. But apparently he still hasn't learned his lesson as he was still flirting with the ladies.

_As l__ong as that perverted bastard stays from me._ She thought.

"We should probably find Byakuya." Ryu popped out of her back.

_Yeah, I want to get the hell out of here before 'captain __Grab Ass' comes back for seconds._

"That and you need to apologize to Byakuya for pulling that stunt of yours."

_Hey! __He had it coming!_

"HISANA!"

_Fine then_. She said as she began walking around. She looked at every table, with every group but he was nowhere to be found.

"Where could he have possible gone to?" she asked herself as she stopped in front of a table.

"Care for a drink?" ask a woman who was serving drinks as she handed Hisana a cup of punch.

"Thank you." She was about to drink it when she caught the smell of sake in the drink. "Smell like someone must have spiked it."

"Actually that the way Kyōraku sama asked it to be served." The servant said.

"Of course he did." She said handing back the drink to the woman before walking outside.

"Damn him!" she said as she walked down the stone path outside of the mansion. "Where the hell is he? It will take us hours to find that dumbass on this huge property."

"Don't worry." Ryu told her. "He'll show up eventu…" Ryu stopped in mid sentence as he glared out to the right.

"What's wrong?" Hisana asked as she tried to look in the same direction. But a worried Ryu nudged her head the other way.

"Nothing! Hey lets go look for him inside again." But Hisana just pushed his aside.

"What the hell in the matter with you!" she looked to the right to see Byakuya. She walked closer to see that it was just not Byakuya. It was Byakuya sitting next to a pond, with another woman! Hisana could fell the anger build up in her body. Quickly she walked back to a safe distance before she lashed out in anger.

"WHY THAT NO GOOD CHEATING BASTARD!" she shouted as she reached for her zanpakutō.

"Don't do it Hisana!" Ryu pleaded as he pushed her away from her zanpakutō. "If you kill him, then you'll really get the sokyuko."

"I don't care! I just want him dead!"

"Don't be stupid! You said it yourself that he's not worth it!" Hisana knew that he had a point. She quickly walked into the mansion, over to the same table.

"Now I need a drink!" she said as she grabbed the cup and rushed outside.

_I'll teach that bastard a lesson!_ She thought as she made her way to the pond.

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Byakuya POV

"So what did you need to talk about?" Byakuya asked as he sat on a nearby rock. Hisayo sat right next to him.

"Well Kuchiki fukutaicho." She started. "I've heard that you will soon need a new 20th seat for squad six. Since the current seated officer is not living up to his title. And I have been in squad 10 for a couple of years without becoming a seated officer." She placed her hand on top of Byakuya's hand. "So I was wondering if maybe I could transfer into your squad as the new 20th seat."

"I sorry," he pulled his hand from under hers. "But I cannot do that."

"But why, Kuchiki fukutaicho?" She made no effort in hiding her disappointment. "I can guarantee you that I am more than qualified to be the 20th seat."

"I am sure that you are a good candidate for the position, but..." He suddenly remembered Hisana. "That position is reserved for someone else." Before she could say something, he saw her glance over his shoulder.

"Oh Byakuya Sama," he heard someone said behind him say that sent shivers down his spines. He turned to see Hisana. Even Though she was smiling, the expression on her face showed that she was anything but happy. "I brought you something to drink." Suddenly she tossed the red punch into his face.

"YOU BASTARD!" She shouted as she stormed off.

"Are you ok, Kuchiki fukutaicho?" asked Hisayo as she wiped the punch from his face. "How dare that girl do that to you! Who the hell was that, anyways"

"My date." He said in a resentful tone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know that you were with someone!"

"it's alright. Now if you don't mind, I have to catch up with her." and with that he rushed after Hisana.

Hisana POV

"The Nerve of that BASTARD!" she shouted as she walked on the grass of the Kyōraku estate. She kicked off her getas to increase her speed and to give her feet a rest. "I go through Etiquette training, get all dolled up and get groped by a perverted drunk! And he goes off and gets cozy with another girl!"

"And he is supposed to be your date!" Ryu said.

"Tsumura!" she heard someone call out just as she was crossing the small bridge over a small stream. She didn't even bother to turn around because she already knew it was Byakuya. She just walked faster.

"Tsumura! Stop this instinct." Byakuya shouted again as he grabbed Hisana by the shoulder and turned her in his direction. Even though his face and hair had dried by now, Byakuya's scarf was still soaked and was stained a bright red. It was safe to assume that she had ruined it.

"What the hell was that about" he said, trying to stay calm, the rage in his face was undeniable.

"For being a two timer!" she shouted.

"Excuse me?"

"Don't act dumb!" she shouted. "I saw you with that other girl! I thought I was your date but apparently I was mistaken!"

"First of all, you are not my date, and second" but Hisana cut him off.

"What the hell do you mean I'm not your date!" she shouted.

"Of course you're not! This isn't even a date."

"Really. Then what do you call me coming with you then."

"I call it a last resort. I only took you because my only other option was a big ugly blob of a woman." He shouted back.

"I see." She said in an emotionless tone as she turned around. "Screw this. I'm going home."

"If you leave now, that the deal is off." Hisana turned around and walked towards Byakuya. Without warning, she gave Byakuya a powerful shove, which knocked him into the steam below.

"You can take that deal and shove it where the sun don't shine, you jerk!" she shouted as she walked away.

As a wet Byakuya picked himself up from the stream, he was prepared to go after her. But decided that it was better if he just let her be for the moment.

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Hisana remained silent as throughout the walk to her room. She still couldn't believe what that creep had told her.

"I hate him." She muttered time and again.

"Well," Ryu said. "At least you got him back." But not even that was enough to cheer Hisana up. She remained silent until she returned to her room. The moment she closed the door, she erupted.

"THAT ASSHOLE!" she screamed as she violently pulled off her kimono and tossed it into the wastebasket. She grabbed the getas and also cramped them deep into the basket.

"I HATE YOU!" she shouted again.

"Calm down, Hisana." Ryu warned. But she didn't care what he had to say. She rushed into the bathroom and washed off the makeup that had intrigued that jerk so much. She looked into the mirror and saw that she still had those pins in her hair. She quickly pulled them and walked over to the trash. But before she could give these pin the same fate as the kimono, she hesitated.

"Byakuya," she said as she set them down on her desk. "You're such a jerk."


	19. A Misunderstanding

I'm sorry for the long absence. Becauseof that, I made this chapter extra long. ENJOY!

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Chapter 19: Misunderstanding

Hisana was awakened by a loud pounding sound which she realized was the door. She glanced at her clock and frowned.

"Who could that be?" she got up. "At 7 o'clock in the damn morning!" she walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" she slide the door. There stood Byakuya Kuchiki with an extremely pissed off look on his face. Normally that would scare the crap out of her. But instead it just restarted the flame of anger from last night.

"What the hell do you want?" she said as cold as she possibly could. But it didn't seem to bother him one bit.

"You're late." He said.

"Late for what?" she asked in confusion.

"What the hell do you think? You're two hours late for your training, you idiot!" those last word slapped her wide awake.

"TRAINING!" She shouted, not caring if she woke up her neighbors. Byakuya suddenly covered her mouth as he shoved her into the room and closed the door behind him.

"Keep your voice down, you fool. Are you trying to draw attention to yourself?" but Hisana slapped his hand away.

"I went to that stupid party of yours, so that entitles me to MY three weeks!"

"Well, if you remembered clearly, you left before I could declare the night over. So therefore you are entitled to nothing."

"That is your fault!" she shouted.

"Really? How is you splashing me with punch and pushing me into a stream my fault?"

"Because you ditched me from another girl! There I was looking all over the place for you and you were getting comfortable with someone else." Byakuya tried to speak, but Hisana did not give him the chance. "Then to add insult to injury, you call me a last resort! Even after the favor I did for your sorry ass!"

"Nothing happened. All we were doing was talking." He said. "And second, it is not considered a favor if I have to bribe you!" Hisana just stared angrily at him. Oh how she wished she had the ability to set him on fire just by glaring at him right now.

"I want an apology." She demanded.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you deaf? I said I want you to apologize. Afterwards I will gladly go back to training."

"Fine then. I am sorry you overreacted."

"I DID NOT OVERREACT, YOU ASS!" she shouted at him.

"This is ridiculous." He said as he was close to losing his temper. "I am no longer asking you. As your fukutaicho, I am ordering you to ready because we are going to train. Do I make myself clear, Tsumura?" he said in a forceful tone.

Hisana was so furious; it was taking every ounce of her willpower just not to punch him in his pretty boy face. But then a thought came into her head that made her smile.

"Of course, fukutaicho." She opened the door. "If you just give me a moment to get ready."

"of course. It's good to see that you are now being reasonable." Byakuya out of the room." she closed the door behind him. Seconds later the door slid open and something was thrown out, covering him face. It was the kimono she had worn then night before. Now it was horribly wrinkled.

"Go to hell, YOU BASTARD!" she screamed as she slammed the door shut.

"Tsumura! Open the door this door this instant!" he dropped the kimono and rush to the door. The door opened, but instead of Hisana, the pair of getas flew out, smacking Byakuya in the face as the door slammed shut. He was ready to kill that disrespectful little brat. But he looked around. The doors around him began to crack open. The last thing he wanted was for people start gossiping about them.

_I'll get her back for this later_. He thought as he quickly picked up the kimono and flash stepped away.

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Hisana POV

Hisana tried to get back to sleep but the encounter with Byakuya had left her too worked up.

"Damn Byakuya ruined another morning." She said as she got dress. She probably should have gone to her training session with Byakuya but there was no she would do anything else for him.

"Maybe you should apologize to Byakuya." Ryu said as she began to dress.

"Just whose side are you on, you little traitor!" she shouted as she toss her sleeping robe at him. "You saw everything he did and you still have the gall to defend him!"

"I'm not saying that what he did wasn't bad." He said in a nervous tone, afraid of what Hisana could do to him when she is really upset. "But maybe you might have…" he stopped before he could finish as Hisana gave him a chilling death glare.

"I might have what!" she shouted.

"Never mind!" he said, covering himself with the robe.

After getting dress, she decided to hang out with Isane until she cooled off.

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"You seem very upset." Isane said as she swept the grounds of the fourth division. "Did something happen while you were away on "official business" yesterday?" Hisana, who sat on the nearby steps, looked up. Of course Hisana didn't tell Isane that her official business was going on a date with Byakuya Kuchiki. Bad enough she wasted a full day with that ass. She didn't need to broadcast it to the entire Seireitei.

"no." she responded as she sighed. She wished that she could to Isane about this but that would she would know she went on a date with that creep. but then she thought of a solution.

"Isane, I have this friend who needs some advice."

"I see." Isane suddenly stopped sweeping. She was already aware that Isane knew that she was her only friend. Isane probably knew that the friend Hisana was talking about was herself. But Isane with her sweet timid nature would never call her out on it.

"She went on a date with this guy. Everything was going fine until an unfortunate event occurred." And by 'unfortunate event', she meant her assault on Captain Grab Ass. "So they get separated. My friend starts looking around for him until she finds him with another girl."

"My goodness."

"I know! So I, I mean my friend," she corrected herself. "Throws punch in his face and then pushes him in a stream. Now he refuses to apologize to her."

"Well, they must have been doing something terrible for your friend to react like that."

"Actually," she started as she remembered Byakuya telling her nothing had happened. "They were just talking. But that doesn't make up for the fact that he left her by herself to be another girl." She looked at Isane, hoping to see a look of sympathy and support. But instead she just saw great disapproval on her face.

"I think that your friend is the one who owes an apology." She timidly said.

"What!" she stood up. "Isane how could you say that!"

"Well, I just think that your friend might have overreacted."

"I DID NOT OVERREACT!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"I said your friend overreacted, not you."

"Oh." Hisana said as she sank back down.

"Anyways, she shouldn't jump to conclusions just like and acted on them. She cannot just attack without reason."

Hisana suddenly felt foolish because that is exactly what she had done.

"I'm just saying that maybe your friend should be the bigger person and apologize" Hisana sighed heavily as she turned around. _I was afraid you would say that._

"Thanks a lot Isane." She said in a bleak tone as she walked away.

"So now what." Ryu asked as he appeared on Hisana's shoulder.

"What do you think!" she snapped as she made her way to the sixth division.

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Byakuya POV

_Ignorant little brat_. He thought as he sat at his desk. He had mounts of paperwork but he could not concentrate on it. All he could think about was how that girl had disrespected him.

First she destroyed a precious family heirloom. Then she pushed him into a stream. Just thinking about it got him fired up.

"Wasting time again, are we Byakuya?" he heard his zanpakutō say as she materialized in front of his desk.

"I am in no mood to deal with you, Senbonzakura." He snapped at her as he returned to his work.

"Are you still upset about that?" she said in frustration.

"How could I not be?" he answered back. "She humiliated me in front of another guest. And worst, she ruined the scarf. You saw how difficult it was to explain to the taicho how that happened."

"It's not like you got in trouble for it. As far as he knows, some waitress spilled punch on you."

"You are missing the point! She disrespected me. She, nothing but trash, disrespected the future 28th head of the Kuchiki clan."

"You know, for someone you claim to despise, you seem to act just like her."

"what are you getting at?"

"I'm saying you two seeds may not be from the peapod, but you certainly come from the same plant."

"How dare you insult me!" he jumped up as he slammed down on his desk. "She is rude, stubborn and despicable and I am nothing like that little brat!"

"And running off with other women, being completely insensitive to a girl's feelings and refusing to apologize is not rude, stubborn or despicable."

"Why do you defend her so much?" Byakuya stared at her, angry at the fact that his zanpakutō would insult him.

"Who said I am defending her?" she pulled out as she pulled out a small fan from her shelve. "I am merely protecting myself." She opened her fan in front of face. "If you behave as badly as her, then that reflects on me." She threw him a cold glare. "And I refuse to look uncivilized because of you!" Byakuya knew better than to threaten his zanpakutō reputation of being the most elegant of all the zanpakutō.

"Tell me what I must do." He said in dread, knowing perfectly well what her demands would be.

"Go apologize to her. By apologizing, you will be shown to have more class than her. Then maybe my reputation will be saved." Unfortunately for Byakuya, when Senbonzakura came to a decision, there was no way to change her mind without breaking a bone.

_Damn it_. He though as he walked out of his office.

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For the next few hours, Hisana just wandered around aimlessly, hoping to prolong the inevitable confrontation with Byakuya. By the time she reached the sixth division, the sun had already begun to set.

"Great." She said sarcastically. "Now I can add missing training to my list of why Byakuya is pissed off at me." She pushed the gates of the sixth division open and stepped inside. Just as she was entering, Hisana noticed someone walking from out the casted shadows.

"Byakuya." She spoke as he turned her way.

"Tsumura." He walked up to her. "Why must I remain you not to address me so informally?" he said as he stopped in front of her. Hisana just watch him silently. He was just standing there, completely silent, as if he were waiting for something. Could he have known that she was coming here to apologize for last night?

_I don't want to apologize!_ She thought as she lowered her head.

"Why not?' Ryu asked.

_Because if I do that would mean that he was right and I was wrong. And the last I would want to do is to add to his already overgrown ego_! She thought with great anger. But suddenly her anger began to subside as she thought of what Isane had said. Maybe she had overreacted when she saw Byakuya with another woman. Why should she have cared who he was with? It wasn't as if she liked him or anything.

She tighten her fists, hoping to find the strength within her for the strenuous task was about to do. She sighed heavily.

"Byakuya," she started out.

"I'm sorry." she heard Byakuya say quickly.

"What?" Hisana, who was still in a state of utter shock, asked.

"I'm sorry about last night. It was wrong for me to have abandoned you in an unfamiliar place. And I shouldn't have been in the company with another woman when you were my date." He glanced at Hisana before turning away. This was probably as painful to him as it was for her. "And I apologize for what I said to you last night. It was uncalled for." Hisana couldn't believe what she was hearing. The almighty Byakuya Kuchiki was apologizing to her. But best of all she didn't have to apologize to him anymore.

"You damn right better be sorry!" she shouted with a triumphant grin on her face. "You put me through hell last night you jerk."

"Hisana!" Ryu spoke in a stern tone. "Aren't you going apologize?"

_Why should I? He already apologize, so why should?_

"Hisana!"

_Fine then you pain in the ass_.

"Byakuya, I guess I owe you an apology too." Byakuya turned to her.

"Really? He said in a sarcastic tone.

"Yeah. I guess I might have overreacted just a little."

"Just a little?" Byakuya said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Do you want this damn apology or not" Hisana shouted.

"Fine then. Continue." He spoke before becoming silent again.

"Well I did overreact" Hisana lowered her head. "I shouldn't have jump to conclusions and acted on them. So I'm sorry for everything." She looked up at Byakuya to see that his face had softened. That meant that he didn't want to kill her anymore. "Besides." She added. "It was silly of me to think that you were could get someone that pretty." She said with smirk. Byakuya just threw her a narrow glare.

"Apology accepted." He said as he walked pass her. "We will resume your training tomorrow."

"What!" she yelled back. "I think you meant to say 'see you in three weeks."

"Well seeing as you did spend most of the night with me, I will give you One week."

"Three weeks." She shot back.

"How about one week and you are not required to pay for the kimono you ruined, the scarf you destroyed and the golden pins you lost."

"Depends, how much you I have to pay you?" she asked.

"The scarf alone cost as much as ten mansions."

"Ten...ten mansions!" she practically whispered as she was still in shock. Her shoulders dropped as she bent over in defeat. "I'll take the one week."

"Good to hear." Byakuya said as he walked to the door. As Hisana mourned the loss of her three week vacation, she felt Ryu materialized on her shoulder.

"Hisana, don't you still have those hairpins? Maybe he will give you an extra day or two if you return them."

_Oh yeah._ "Hey Byakuya." She called out, causing him to turn around. She hesitated. "Um…" she hesitated again. "Thank you." She said as she bowed.

Byakuya just nodded before he walked away.

"What the hell, Hisana!" Ryu shouted in her ear.

_Hey, if he can spend that much on a scarf, then he won't mind it if I keep the hairpins. I could probably sell them for a good price._

"Are you sure it's not because you want them as a souvenir of your first date?" within a few second of finishing his sentence, he had three giant lumps on his head.

"How dare you say something so stupid!" she shouted as Ryu rubbed his red bumps. Ryu glanced up to see that Hisana was blushing. He had said that as a mere joke, but now he wondered if there was some truth to it.


	20. Assignment

A/N: Again sorry for another long delay. School keeps me very busy. And it doesn't help that one of them likes to spring surprise projects on me!

Anyways, about this chapter. It was suppose to be one chapter. But by the end, it was too long. Normally I have no problem with long chapters, but a 5000 words chapter is too long for me. So I split it up in three. The good news is that, after a couple of modifications, I should have the second part up by Tuesday at the latest. I promise!

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Chapter 20: Assignment

_Two years_. Hisana thought as she walked to the sixth division. No matter how many times she told herself that, Hisana couldn't believe it. How time flies by. It had been two years since she became Byakuya Kuchiki's pupil. Two years of training sessions, waking up before dawn, and last but not least, nonstop insults from Byakuya Kuchiki.

"I'm surprise you haven't killed him yet in those two years." Ryu suddenly materialized on her shoulder.

"You and me both." But even though he was a jerk, she couldn't say that he was a bad teacher. In fact, he was probably a better teacher than any of her instructors in the Soul Reaper Academy. She could perform high level kido spells with such ease. Her skills in zanjutsu and hand to hand combat had greatly improved. Her flash steps were slightly above average, as he liked to say.

But when she would ask him if she was good enough to be a seated officer, he would merely tell her that if she needed much more training before she could qualify to become a seated officer. But personally she thought that the real reason was that he just liked to torture her for as long as he can.

But her training sessions that used be everyday were now three times a week. Not like that bothered her, she was actually glad that she could see in a couple days out of the week. But more importantly, to her it meant that she would soon become a seated officer. Maybe after she became a seated officer, she could finally find Rukia.

"We're here." Ryu shouted as she stopped in front of Byakuya's office. "Do you think that he will finally make you a seated officer?"

"I wouldn't get your hopes up, Ryu." She said. But secretly she was wishing for the same thing. She slowly opened the door.

"Hey Byakuya." She said called out. Byakuya shot a cold look at her. That was when she noticed that Byakuya was not alone. In front of Byakuya's desk stood another man. He was at least twice as big as Byakuya, but she could tell that it was not attributed to muscle mass. As he turned around, Hisana was able to get a good look at him. To say that he was unattractive wasn't enough. His plump face resembled a bulldog. And that bushy mustache of his didn't help him. His cheeks began to turn red.

"How dare you!" he shouted as he rushed over to Hisana. "How dare you address the fukutaicho in such a disrespected manner?" He screamed in her face. But Hisana covered his mouth with her hand.

"And just who the hell are you?" she said as she pushed him away from her.

"Tsumura." Byakuya stood up. "Do not be so disrespectful towards a seated officer."

"Seated officer?" she took a second glance at the man. "Him?" she pointed at him.

"That's right, you little brat." He straightened up. "The name is Taro Yamaguchi, eighteenth seat of the sixth division. In other words, I'm better than you." He said with such pride. But Hisana, on the other hand, really didn't care.

"Good for you." She said flatly before turning to Byakuya. "So why did you call for me," she quickly glance to Taro then back to Byakuya. "Fukutaicho."

"Yamaguchi san is going to be escorting the latest recruits around the Seireitei and Rukongai. And I believe this will be excellent learning experience for you. So you will be assisting him."

"You're just doing this to get rid of me aren't you?" she said as she threw Byakuya a cold glare.

"You're very observant." He walked pass the two soul reapers and opened the door. "You two are to wait at the white road gate while I gather the recruits."

"Yes Kuchiki fukutaicho!" Taro said as he practically marched out the office. Hisana could already predict that this not going to be a good day.

"Damn you Byakuya." She walked out the door, but not before giving him a well deserved punch on his arm.

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"So…" Hisana tried to start small talk as she stood next to Taro at the gates. They had only been waiting for a few minutes. But when you wait with someone you do not know or like, it seems like an eternity. "How long have you been in the sixth division?" But Taro did not respond. Hisana wanted to just stay quiet, but if she was going to work with this guy, she should at least get familiar with him. "You know I only been here a couple of years and never been on an assignment before. At least I get paired with someone with experience. So our assignment should be easy." Taro turned to Hisana. He was clearly annoyed. Had she said something wrong?

"Listen here!" he jabbed his finger deep into her shoulder. "This is not our assignment. It is my assignment."

"Really?" Hisana pulled his hand away. "Because, unless I heard wrong, didn't the fukutaicho say that I was to assist you on this assignment?" Taro let out a grunt.

"I doubt that someone like you can be of any assist to me. As far as I am concern, you are just another punk I have to babysit. So stay out of my way!" they just glared at each other, both feeling complete dislike for the other.

"Is there a problem?" they both turn to see Byakuya standing beside them. Behind him were five younger soul reapers.

"Of course not Kuchiki fukutaicho. I was telling her a few basic guidelines. But she is a difficult girl who does not listen. Maybe she should say behind." He grinned at her.

"I must admit that she is quite a pain, but I have already decided that she will go with you." He turned to the others. "This is Yamaguchi san and Tsumura. They will be guiding you through the Rukongai." All of them bowed.

"Greetings Yamaguchi san and Tsumura san." They said simultaneously.

"There is no need to be so formal." Hisana said as they lifted their heads. "You can call me Hisana if you like."

"Don't be stupid!" Taro yelled at her. "Do you want these new recruits to be as rude as you?" He turned to the others. "Ignore her! You will address us formally. Anyone who does otherwise will suffer the consequences!" the gate began to lift, making the Rukongai visible. "Let's go." Taro barked at the others. As they walked through the gate, Taro gave Hisana one more cold glare before leaving himself.

_He is getting such a beating once I'm out of Byakuya's sight._ Hisana thought. But as she began to walk, she felt someone grab her arm. She turned to see that it was Byakuya.

"I know that he is a difficult person to be around. But try not to kill him."

"Difficult is a huge understatement." She said pulling away. "Don't worry about me killing him. I'll save that for the hollows." She turned and followed after the others.

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"These are dangerous areas!" Taro shouted as he led his small group of soul reapers in the streets of the Rukongai. "Here you have to be on the lookout for hollows and thugs who would kill you in order to rob you." Some of the group looked scared, while the others listened with amazement. Hisana could tell from their respond that these soul reapers were probably from higher class families.

"Give me a break." Hisana murmured as she walked in the back of the group. This is only the 50th district. What would they think of Inuzuri?

"Even Kuchiki fukutaicho wouldn't dare enter these parts. That's probably because he doesn't have the courage to rough it out here. Unlike me!" he let out a loud laugh.

_He had Byakuya's same monster ego._ She though. But still she wished that she could train with Byakuya. Enough if there were some major similarities between the two; At least Byakuya was easy on the eyes. "Dumbass." She sighed. Hisana did not realized that she had spoken out loud because moment later she bumped into someone. She glanced up and saw that it was Taro.

"What did you did you just say?" He was so close to her face that Hisana could smell that he had a couple of cups sake earlier today. His eye twined in anger as he glared at her.

"First of all, get out of my face." she shoved him away. "And second, you should not say such stupid things. Byakuya is not afraid to enter areas like this. He just has more important matters to attend to. That is why the division has seated officers. You, of all people, should know that. And that is why I called you a dumbass." She knew that she had struck a nerve as his face turned a horrible reddish color.

"Listen here, you little bitch," he grabbed Hisana by the collar of her kosode and lifted her off the ground. "Don't act so damn high and mighty just because you are being trained by Kuchiki fukutaicho! You are still nothing but a worthless piece of crap!" a malicious grin formed on his face. "And even if you do become a seated office, it will only be because you're the fukutaicho's favorite. Not because of you own strength."

"Shows how much you know!" she shouted as she struggled to set herself free. "I'm not his favorite! He can't even stand me, you dumbass!" He didn't respond. Instead he tossed her to the ground.

"Shut the hell up!" He turned to the rest of the group, who watched in silence. "What the hell are you staring at? Let's go!" he shouted out as he walked to the head of the group. Hisana picked herself up as the rest of the group walked ahead of her.

"Hisana." Ryu called out as Hisana dusted herself off. "Are you going to take that from someone like him?" he urged her to take some form of action.

"He's not worth it." She said as she began to walk after the group. "Besides, Byakuya said not to kill him."

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Well that the end of this chapter! Like I said, the second part will be up by Tuesday! Please Review!


	21. The Hollow And The True Beast

A thousand sorrys for updating late. I know that I said Tuesday, but I forgot to upload the chapter! So here it is.

Unfortunately, this will be last update until next week. Sorry, but I won't be near a computer from Thursday until Sunday.

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Chapter 21: The Hollow And The True Beast

_Damn it__!_ Hisana thought as hours pass since she began this idiotic task. She wished that she could just take off, but she knew that Byakuya would beat her black and blue if she disobeyed his orders. But that was not the only reason she felt restless.

She looked all around her. When they had started this little mission, the streets had some life. Now the streets there were empty. There were no children, no gamblers, not even the local drunks who would see off their hangovers in the streets.

Amazing how quickly they can clear out. She thought. Suddenly she froze as she realized that this was a warning. The people of the Rukongai would only disappear this quickly because there had been a hollow sighting in the area.

She stood still, trying to find the slightest trace of the hollow. Suddenly she felt such a terrible reiatsu that was unlike anything she ever felt before. She looked in front of her. The others didn't seem to notice anything unusual. She should have just left that big jerk behind to see how tough he really was. But that wouldn't be right.

"Hey!" she shouted as she ran towards the head of the pack.

"What the hell do you want now!" he shouted, practically spitting on her as he spoke. She was having second thoughts about warning him.

"I think we should leave." She turned around to the other soul reapers. "Ok everyone let's turn back!" but she was pushed down by Taro. "Hey!" she shouted as she shot up. "What's the big idea, you overgrown ape!"

"What the hell do you think you doing? This is my mission, you brat! And we'll head back when I say so! You got that!" he turned to the others. "Let's go!" he only walked a couple of steps before a terrible howl echoed through the empty streets. Everyone turned around to see the beast that was behind them. This creature was massive to say the least. It looked down on them as if they were mere insects. It can probably crush them like insects too. But there was something else about it. It did not look like most beast-like hollows. It was a bulky humanoid hollow.

Suddenly its mouth opened, spraying a slimily green liquid onto everyone.

"Out of my way!" he pulled out his zanpakutō. "This is how you take care of a hollow!"

"Crush to Death! Orochitsuchi" but nothing happened. The others tried to release their zanpakutō, but they would not transform. She pulled out her zanpakutō.

"Cover the skies, Ryuniji." She said, but the blade did not turn to dust, the hilt did not wrap around her arm.

_Ryu, __what's going on?_ She thought. But Ryu didn't response. He didn't even materialize. _RYU!_ She shouted in her head.

Then it hit her. It must be this slime that the hollow sprayed on them. It must some special ability to prevent soul reapers from releasing their zanpakutō.

"Taro!" she called out. "We can't use our zanpakutō!"

"What!" he shouted. "What do you mean?"

"It's the slime! We have to get the others out of here!"

"Screw that! I'm getting the hell out of here!" he shouted. Before Hisana could stop him, he was already gone. The hollow suddenly howled as it send its massive fist crashing into the new soul reapers. She shunpo to the front of the group.

"Bakudō number 8: seki!" a round shield formed in from of the hollow's fist, repelling it as it pushed the hollow back. The hollow quickly recovered and came charging at her.

"Bakudō #63. Sajo Sabaku!" Golden chains suddenly wrapped around the hollow, pressing its arms tightly to its body. She knew that even with a Bakudō this strong, she couldn't hold off this hollow forever. She turned to the younger soul reapers. "I'll distract him. Everyone get to safer grounds."

"But Tsumura san," one of them started to say. "What about you!"

"Don't worry about me!" she then force a smile onto her face. "I can take this hollow without my zanpakutō." They hesitated for a moment before finally leaving. It was good timing because the hollow had just broken her Bakudō. It again charged at her. But she flash stepped to behind its head.

"Hado 31: Shakkahō!" she shouted as a fireball hit him in the back of the head. But as he smoke cleared, the hollow emerged unharmed. The hollow turned his head all the way the around, facing her. Suddenly he wrapped his hand around her body, practically squeezing the air out of her.

"Is that the best you got!" he tightened his grip, causing her to let out a loud grasp. "Stupid pest!" he threw her hard into a nearby house. As she collapsed to the floor, the hollow began to stomp on her.

"You won't even make a decent meal!" he lifted his foot and stepped on her with greater force. Hisana screamed as she felt her bones cracking under the hollow's massive weight. "Too bad the fat one wasn't as stupid as you!" he lifted his foot again, ready to finish her.

Here's my chance. She thought as she rolled onto her back.

"Hadō #4: byakurai!" she shouted as a lightning bolt ran though the hollow's foot and into its left eye. The hollow let out a loud cry as he stumbled back. She tried desperately to crawl away, but the hollow has successfully smashed all her limbs.

"YOU BITCH! HOW DARE YOU BLIND ME!" the hollow shouted as he gave her a powerful kick, sending her tumbling through the streets until crashing into a wall. Hisana tried to pick herself up, but her arms were completely useless. She could only watch as hollow walked slowly towards her, ready to finish her off.

_I __can't die_! She again tried to move. "Byakuya," she whispered, "Byakuya, someone, anyone." the hollow lifted his fist.

"PLEASE HELP ME!" she screamed as she shut her eyes, not wanting the hollow to be the last thing she would ever see. She felt a heavy force hit the ground next to her.

_Did he miss?_ She opened her eyes to see the severed arm of the hollow laying next to her. The hollow screamed in pain as it grabbed what was left of its arm, trying desperately to stop the bleeding.

"Shoot to Kill, Shinsō!" she heard someone shout. Suddenly a blade pierced the hollow's chest and then quickly withdrew. The hollow began to dissolve, becoming nothing but dust.

Hisana looked around to see her savior. But except for a couple of civilians who had come out of hiding, there were no soul reapers to be seen.

It doesn't matter. She thought as she began to heal herself. She didn't have enough strength to completely heal herself. And she couldn't release her zanpakutō. But at least she would be able to move again.

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It was nightfall by the time she arrived at the sixth division. She probably could have arrived sooner, but with the little reiatsu she had left, she could only heal her legs enough to walk. She should have gone to the fourth division first, but she wasn't going to give that fat rat get away with this. She pressed her body against the doors, pushing them open. As she stepped inside, she saw Taro standing in the middle of the courtyard. His face was twisted with a mixture of anger and fear.

"What the hell are doing here!" he shouted as he rushed over to her. Hisana tried to stand up straight.

"Making sure that you get what you deserve!" The door of the building behind taro suddenly opened and out walked Byakuya.

"Why are you shouting?" he starting asked Taro, but stopped as he looked over his shoulder and spotted Hisana. "Tsumura," he moved taro aside and walked to her. She could clearly see that he was upset. But why would he be mad at her? "I see that the hollow was still able to find you."

"What are you talking?"

"Taro informed me that a strong hollow was sighted around the area. And while he made sure that the new recruits were out of harm's way, you ran away. They were able to determine that the hollow was at least a Gillian. Do you realize how stupid it was for you to attempt to fight a Gillian rank hollow?" Hisana couldn't believe what she was hearing. Taro had lied and told Byakuya that he was the one who had rescued the other. That he was the one following orders. And that she was the one would have run away.

"He lying!" she shouted, interrupting Byakuya. "Byakuya, he is lying. I told him that a hollow was nearby. I told him that we should retreat." She pointed at taro. "But he did not listen. He ran away like a coward when the hollow showed up. I was the one who fought the hollow while the others escaped."

"But the recruits are telling the same story as Yamaguchi."

"That probably because he threatened them when they arrived at the Seireitei. Who wouldn't be afraid of someone that looks like he could eat them!"

"Byakuya," her eyes pleaded with him. "Please, you have to believe me." His face hardened.

"That is enough." He said in a forceful tone as he turned away. "It seems that I was wrong about you." Hisana looked down. Byakuya did not believe her.

"I want you out of this division, you lowlife." He said. Hisana looked up, expecting him to be standing in front of her. But instead Byakuya stood in front of Taro.

"What?" Taro said, completely dumbfounded.

"Was that too complicated for you? Let me make it easier for you to understand. Get out! I will not allow you to disgrace this division any longer!"

"B...but, Kuchiki fukutaicho." He started, "you don't believe her over a seated officer, do you?  
"Of course I do. I trained Tsumura myself. She may be an idiot, but she is also loyal, brave, and honest. To call her a liar or coward is not only an insult to her but to me as well!"

"Byakuya." She whispered in shock. He did believe her and was actually standing up for her sake.

"Now leave. Try joining the 11th division. They would probably take in trash like you." But instead of backing down, he stood up straight, to remind Byakuya that he was taller than he and three times wider.

"I don't think that is your decision to make, fukutaicho." He grinned.

"He is right, you know." All of them turned towards the entrance to see Kuchiki taicho as he walked towards them. He stopped next to Byakuya. "That is not your decision to make, Byakuya. It is mine." He threw a cold glare at Taro. "And you are wrong about another thing. The eleventh division may have very low standards, but not even they would take in such a disgraceful man such as him." He walked up to Taro. "Taro Yamaguchi, you are hereby relieved of your duties and position as 18th seat of the sixth division."

"But Kuchiki taicho, you can't just dismiss me. Who will be the 18th seat?"

"Good point." His focus fell on Hisana. "Hisana Tsumura, congratulations. You are now the 18th seat."

"But she can't take my spot."

"Can't her. I believe she is qualified for it." He turned to Byakuya. "Wouldn't you agree Byakuya?"

"She is more than qualify to replace this weakling." Byakuya said. "Guards." Suddenly two soul reapers appeared next to Taro. "Get him out of the taicho's sight." Byakuya ordered as the two grabbed Taro's and began to drag him away. As he was dragged pass Hisana, their eyes met. Hisana could not only see his absolute hatred, but could feel it. Suddenly he broke free of the two soul reapers' grasp and came charging at her. Before she could react, he grabbed her and threw her to the ground.

"YOU STUPID BRAT!" he pulled out his zanpakutō and held it high over his head. "I'LL KILL YOU!" but before he could take a swing, Byakuya shunpo in front of him and grab his wrist.

"How dare you attack an injured and unarmed woman!" he said in such an icy tone that it even gave Hisana chills. He tightened his grip on his wrist. Byakuya suddenly gave it a forceful twist, causing him to drop his zanpakutō to the ground. "You really are disgusting." He held his palm towards him. "Hadō #1: _shō." _Byakuya said as a blue circle began to form in from of Taro. The circle suddenly burst out, creating such force, it sent Tarocrashing into the entrance gates. Hisana just watched as the two soul reapers pulled an unconscious Taro away. Byakuya then turned to her.

"Tsumura," he extended his hand to her. "Are you alright?" for a moment, Hisana looked into his eyes to see that he truly was concern for her.

"Yeah." She grabbed his hand and was pulled up. The taicho walked up to them.

"Tsumura, you look terrible. You should get yourself to the fourth division immediately."

"Yes Kuchiki taicho." She tried to bow, but the slightest moment was painful. The taicho turned to Byakuya.

"Byakuya, please escort her." Byakuya nodded as he turned towards the exit.

"Come along, Tsumura." Byakuya said as he walked to the door. Hisana slowly followed.

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"Damn." She said as she leaned against a wall and dropped to the floor. The healing Kidō she had performed on herself after the hollow attack was only enough to get her back to the Seireitei. But now she could no longer suppress the horrible pain she was feeling.

"Tsumura," Byakuya said as he walked to her. "I do not have all night. Hurry up."

"I can't walk anymore." She said. "Maybe you should call someone from squad four to get me." But instead, Byakuya turned around and kneeled down. Hisana had no clue what he was doing.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he snapped. "Climb on to my back and I will carry you." But Hisana did nothing.

"I can't." Byakuya stood up.

"And may I ask why not."

"Because I can't use my arms either." Byakuya took a quick glance at her mangled arms.

"I see." He looked around him. Then he walked beside her, kneeled down and scooped her into his arms.

"What are doing!" she shouted as she began to turn a bright red.

"What does it look like? I am carrying you to the fourth division." He said.

"Why don't you just call someone from the fourth division to pick me up?"

"Why would I disturb them with such an insignificant task that I am able to perform? Now you can allow me to take you to the fourth division or you can crawl all the way." She glared at him for a couple of seconds.

"Jerk." She said as she turned her head the other way.

"Good to see that you cooperating for once." Byakuya said as he began to walk.

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"Byakuya," Hisana said as she looked up towards him.

"Yes?"

"All those things you said to Taro," she started to say. "You know, how you told him that I was brave, honest, and loyal."

"What about them?"

"It's just that I know that sometimes when people are mad, they say things they do not mean. And I was wondering if you just told Taro all those things because you were upset?" she felt Byakuya suddenly stop. She turned her head so Byakuya could not see her. "It's alright if you did. It's not like I am upset or anyone."

"I did mean it." He said. Hisana looked directly at Byakuya. "I meant every word. When Taro and told that you ran away, I knew that it was a lie. I know you far too well."

"Really?"

"Yes. I knew that you would never abandon your comrades . I knew you would never run away from a challenge. I just went along with him until you could confirm my suspicions." Hisana didn't really know what she felt for Byakuya at this moment. It wasn't the usual feeling of annoyance or dislike that she felt most of the time. It was something different. Could this be respect or even admiration that she felt?

_He really isn't such a bad guy_. She thought as she closed her eyes.

Byakuya felt Hisana's breathing became slower. "Tsumura." He said, hoping that she was still alive.

"Thank you, Byakuya." She said quietly as she drifted into sleep. Byakuya just stood still, watching Hisana as she nuzzled her head into his chest.

_Her face_. He thought. The expression on her face was so peaceful. When she is wake, her face, even when she smiles, was hardened with anger, but also sadness. Like if something was constantly weighting on her heart. But now, the look on her face was so gentle.

"You're welcome." He started walking again, but this time at a slower pace, Trying to enjoy this peaceful moment together.

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A/N: Aww, don't you just love moments like this.

Now most of you are wondering why he saved Hisana from the hollow, while some are wonder who saved her? Well, like I said, I split the original chapter into three parts. The reason behind it is in the third part. And if you don't know who it was, then someone needs to brush up on their Bleach facts.


	22. Gin's Report

OMG! An update! Sorry about the delay! I had midterms to study for and then I got sick(yet again!) as soon as winter break started. It really does suck living in such a cold area and having a low immunity to the flu. I really can't type with a splitting headache, nor am I allowed to.

Anyways, enough of my ranting, here is the new chapter.

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Chapter 22: Gin's Report

It was easy for him to seek back into the Seireitei at night. And even if some did see him, no one would suspect that the fukutaicho of squad 5 was up to anything. He could see a dim glow from the windows as he approached the fifth division.

"Looks like someone's eager to hear about the hollow." Gin muttered to himself as he opened the door. Aizen seemed to be in deep thought as Gin closed the door.

"Greetings, Aizen taicho." He said as he walked up to the desk.

"Gin," Aizen lifted his head. "I sent you out hours ago. Where have you been?"

"Oh," Gin thought about that for a couple of seconds. He couldn't tell him that he had followed the girl of a distance to make sure that she returned the Seireitei. "I just wandered around aimlessly for a couple hours. It's not like I couldn't tell ya 'bout the hollow during the day, while the division was still full with other soul reapers." It was close enough to the truth and that was good enough for Gin.

"I see." Aizen said. "How did the hollow perform?"

"Its power to suppress a zanpakutō from releasing seems to be fully functional, just as you planned." Gin started out. He was extremely careful to make sure that the nervousness he felt did not show in his voice. "But that was pretty much all it could do. Not really much to report, Aizen taicho." He had hope that the explanation was enough to please him. But a quick glance at his stone cold face told Gin that Aizen was displeased.

"Then tell me why you felt the need to kill my test subject? I do not believe that I gave you such order." Gin felt his body go stiff. He should have guessed that Aizen would send Tōsen to spy on him. And knowing that Boy Scout, he probably told Aizen how he had killed that hollow before it was able to finish the girl off.

"That Adjucha that ya modified was a waste of time. Even if it did suppress the victim's zanpakutō, the soul reaper was still able to defeat." But Aizen did not seem convince.

"I did not ask about your opinion about the hollow. Your orders were to release the hollow into the Rukongai and observe its powers. I do not recall ordering you to kill it. "

"The soul reaper was able to blind the hollow. I doubt ya have much use for a blind hollow."

"Then why did you allowed the soul reaper to live?" Aizen said. "Or perhaps you did not realize how large of a threat she could be."

"I doubt she would be a threat to the plan, Aizen taicho. Besides, the soul reaper was from the sixth division. Ya know how those guys get when one of their own are killed. They stop at nothin' to find the hollow. They would be eventually find the hollow and discover that it had some work done to it. They might even track it to ya." Aizen suddenly stood up and walked over to Gin. "I'm just lookin' out for ya, Aizen taicho."

"Gin," he said in such a frightening tone, that it actually made Gin's smile drop. "Since when do I need you to look after me?"

"Well, ya can never be too cautious, Aizen taicho." Gin said, but Aizen cut him off.

"Ichimaru, you know better to defy me."

"But, I didn't defy ya, Aizen taicho."

"I told you to observe the hollow to determine the full extent of its power. How can you determine that when you kill it before it is given the chance to finish the soul reaper off?" Gin could feel Aizen's reiatsu begin to rise. He was getting upset. "Have you forgotten what happens when you defy me?" he was wearing that horrible smirk that Gin has come to hate. "Or perhaps you need to be reminded?"

Damn. Gin thought. He didn't want to mention the girl's name. But it was either his ass or hers.

"It was Hisana Tsumura. She was the one that the hollow fought." Aizen's reiatsu began to drop as he began to calm down. "I know that ya have plans for that girl. It would be a shame for her to die before you can set your plans into motion."

"I see." He said as he turned to his desk. "You may go now."

""Yes, Aizen taicho." But before he was able to leave, Aizen spoke to him.

"Gin." Gin quickly turned around.

"Yes, Aizen taicho."

"No one is irreplaceable. Let this be the last time you disobey me."

"Of course, Aizen taicho." Gin said as he tried to keep his smile. He slid the door open and left.

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"Damn," Gin said as he wiped the beams of sweat from his forehead. That trade made grin of his was gone, and in its place was a scowl. He felt like such an idiot. It was a stupid idea to try and lie to Aizen. Aizen was no fool. He probably knew there was another reason for saving that girl. He should have let that damn hollow finish her off. But the more he thought of Hisana, the less angry he became.

Gin sighed. He couldn't let her die. He was still indebted to Hisana. After all, she was the one who...

His trail of thought was broken as he noticed someone walking along the path. He quickly dodged into the shadows. He saw Byakuya holding an unconscious Hisana. But there was something different about Byakuya. He was actually smiling. Byakuya never smiles, especially while in the company of others. Gin wondered if it was because of her. He waiting until Byakuya was gone, before he stepped out of the shadow.

"Try not to get too attached to her, Byakuya kun." He said as he walked away.

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Sorry if this chapter is kind of confusing. I tried my hardest to write it while not giving away too much of the plot.

And Sorry if there are grammar errors, I still kind of sick. T-T


	23. All for Nothing

Hurray! I'm finally over that nasty little cold of mine. So I decided to update my story. XD

School isn't too bad, so I will probably have another update this week.

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Chapter 23: All for Nothing

"It is different." She said as she walked down the roads of Inuzuri. Usually the darken streets were foggy, but now they were clear, but still empty. Suddenly a beam of light fell from the sky onto a hut that looked so familiar. As she entered the house she saw the back of a tiny girl facing her.

"Rukia!" she shouted as she ran towards her. She couldn't believe it. She had finally found her. She had finally found her beloved little sister.

"Rukia!" she said as she wrapped her arms around the little girl. "Thank goodness I finally found you." But as she squeezed her tight, the little girl suddenly turned to dust. The only thing that remained of her was her kimono.

"Ruk… Rukia…" she fell to her knees. She pressed the kimono close to her body. "RUKIA!" she screamed to the top of her lungs.

"Hisana, are you ok?" someone spoke to her.

Hisana opened her eyes to see a pair of green lizard eyes staring at her. She quickly sat up.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"You're still in the fourth division Hisana." Ryu looked at her with deep concern. "Hisana, did you have the dream again?"

"Yeah, But it was different this time." She tried to wipe the sweat from her face, but her hand was trembling. She looked at Ryu. She didn't need to tell him about the dream because he could read her thoughts. "What does it that mean?"

"Probably nothing." Ryu said. "Try to get some rest. You still need to recover from your last battle." Unfortunately for Hisana, Ryu was right. It had been over a week since her battle with the Gillian, and her body still ached all over. Unohana taicho had told her and Byakuya that her skull and spine were the only bones still intact. The rest of them were completely destroyed. It took her three days to mend all of them. But even with the treatment, she still could not shunpo and she was still weak.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." She said as she moved to the edge of the bed. She took a quick glance out the window and saw that it was still dark outside.

"What are you doing?" Ryu asked. "Didn't I just tell you to rest? I swear Hisana, you have the attention span of a fly!" he waited for some type of rebuttal from Hisana, but nothing happened. She just stood still. "Are you listening to me!" he shouted. But Hisana was so deep in thought that she could not hear one word that Ryu was saying.

_That dream_. She thought. Could it mean something? Is it some kind of message? Is something going to happen to Rukia? These thoughts kept echoing in head like crazy. She got out of bed, wincing at the pain as her feet touched the ground. She tried to take a step but something was tugging at her robe.

"Cut that out!" she snapped at the small dragon that had both his claws grasping her robe.

"Just what the hell do you think you are doing!" he pulled harder, but Hisana gave a forceful tug that sent him crashing to the floor.

"I'm going to find Rukia."

"You are still hurt, you dummy! You need to rest. "

"How can you expect me to rest after having a dream like that? Rukia might be in trouble." Her eyes suddenly became glossy, on the verge of tears. But Hisana quickly blink them away. "I have to find her!" she looked around for a clean uniform, but all she was able to find was her bloody clothes. "These will have to do until I get to my room."

"Hisana, didn't Byakuya tell you to stand in the fourth division?" Ryu said as Hisana dressed.

"Byakuya wont might if mind if I'm gone for a couple of hours." She grabbed her zanpakutō from the side of her bed.

"You know that your judgment of what Byakuya minds had been very crappy in the past."

"Shut up." She said silently as she creped through fourth division.

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Byakuya POV

"I should have known she would do this." Byakuya said as he glared at Hisana's empty bed. He had told that fool to stay here until she was completely healed. He turned to Isane, the one who was suppose watching over her. "When did she leave?"

"Um, sometime during the night." She bowed down, "I'm so sorry, Kuchiki taicho." Her body was trembling. "I'm so sorry, Kuchiki fukutaicho. I should have kept a better watch on her." But Byakuya ignored her apology and walked away.

"Damn her." Byakuya silently muttered as he stepped outside of the fourth division. "I told her to stay in the fourth division." Taro was still out there and carried a deep hatred for Tsumaru for taking his position. if he were to find her, there would be no way she could defend herself against a man with murderous intentions.

"What's the matter, Byakuya," Senbonzakura said in a mocking manner. "Don't tell me that you're actually worried about the girl."

"Do not be stupid." He snapped. "It is my duty, as fukutaicho, to assure the safety of all the soul reapers in the sixth division."

"If you say so, Byakuya." She said. Ignoring his zanpakutō, Byakuya tried to decide on the first location to search for Tsumaru.

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Hisana focused carefully at the huts as she walked down the streets of Inuzuri. She knew that she left Rukia at one of these houses, but she wasn't too sure which one. She wished that she could call her name, but she wasn't even sure if her name was Rukia still. And even if it was, she probably wouldn't respond. The people of the 78th district did not trust soul reapers.

"Hisana," Ryu said. "We have been searching since dawn." Hisana glanced at the setting sun. They have out here for a long time. And Hisana was starting to feel tired and hungry.

"I know. But we're close. I can feel." As Hisana, turned the corner of the street, she paused.

"What's wrong?" Ryu extended his neck and looked around.

"It can't be." This was the street she had been looking for. But it had been completely destroyed. Instead of houses, there were now only piles of rubble.

Footsteps from behind her made Hisana suddenly turned around as she caught a glimpse of a man fleeing.

"Hey!" she shouted as she ran behind him. The man ran even faster, but then fell as he tripped over a rock. Before he could get up, Hisana grabbed him by the collar of his kosode.

"What happened?" she said in a forceful tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" he responded. Hisana dragged him to the demolish street.

"What happened to this place!" she said with one hand on his kosode, while the other was gripping the hilt of her zanpakutō.

"It was destroyed by a group of hollows!"

"What!"

"Yeah. Just a couple of years ago, hollows attacked this area." He pointed to the rubble. "Everyone who lived in that street was killed by the hollows." Hisana released the man, who quickly ran away. His words just kept playing over and over again in her head.

_Hollow. Attack. Everyone killed._

"NO!" she shouted as she began running down the street.

"RUKIA!" she screamed, praying that maybe her little sister had been spared. "RUKIA!" she screamed before coming to a complete stop. She turned to see the only standing wall among the debris. It was just like from her dream. That is when is realized that this was the house where she had abandoned her little sister. She walked toward the house, hoping to find life. But as she entered, she realized that the wall was all there was left of the house. On the other side there was just more rubble. There was no life, no sign of Rukia and no hope.

"Rukia." Hisana said as she took a couple of steps before collapsing on her hands and knees. Ryu wished he could say something to cheer her up, but what could he say. Hisana had worked so hard to build a better life for her and her little sister. But now Rukia was gone, and both he and Hisana knew it.

_Poor Hisana_. He thought as he nudged his head against her neck.

"It was all for nothing." Hisana suddenly began to pound her fist against the ground. "IT WAS ALL FOR NOTHING! ALL THE TRAINING, BECOMING A SOUL REAPER! WHAT WAS THE POINT IF SHE STILL DIED!" Ryu could tell that Hisana was on the verge of tears, but she was holding them back. She got up and walked over to the wall. With one strong shove, she knocked it over, destroying it.

"Hisana, let's just go." Ryu said. Hisana didn't respond. She just started walking back to the Seireitei.

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"Where is she?" Byakuya said in frustration. It was already nightfall. He had searched every inch of the Seireitei, but all he could find was Tsumura's bloody uniform in her room. He was going to make her pay for disobeying his direct orders.

"I'm sure that she is ok." Senbonzakura said.

"I could care less about her well being." Byakuya shouted. But before he could say anything else, he saw someone walking towards him. At first, the person was identifiable. But as it got closer, he could tell that it was Hisana.

"Where the hell have you been!" he said as he walked towards her. But instead of stopping, she just walked passed him.

"Tsumura, I was speaking to you!" he said, following her. But Hisana didn't even him give a glance.

"Tsumura," he said, grabbing her shoulder, only to have Hisana slap it away.

"Let me alone!" She yelled as she quickened her pace. She was in no mood to deal with Byakuya right now. All she wanted to was to get to her room and be alone.

_I don't believe this_. Byakuya thought. He had wasted all day searching for her, worrying about her. And she had the gall to be upset with him.

"Tsumura," he called out. "You really are a horrible monster." Hisana suddenly stopped.

_Horrible Monster._ She thought to herself. Never had any word hurt her as those did now. It was like ten daggers being plunged into her heart at the same time. She turned toward Byakuya, trying to defend herself, but no words would come out. What could she say? only a horrible monster would abandon an infant in a terrible place like Inuzuri. It was her fault that her sister was dead. Byakuya was right. She was a horrible monster.

She could no longer suppress her tears as they began to run down her face. She looked at Byakuya, who looked confused.

She turned around quickly and began to run. She did not want him to see her like this. Hisana didn't know where to go, but she didn't care. She just ran, as a river of tears streamed down her cheeks.

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A/N: Oh NO! Byakuya is soo mean. T-T


	24. Her Sad Past

Hello! This is Yukiko, updating from the computer in my computer class, hoping the teacher doesn't catch me!

So sorry for another late update than promise. It seems that school is against me. I had a test for every class last week! and if that wasn't bad enoungh, there were all on different days!T-T So I had to study all last week, everyday. And I needed the weekend for a little R&R. o _ 0

Anyways, here is the new chapter. ENJOY!

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Chapter 24: Her Sad Past

"I can't believe that she ran this far." Senbonzakura said as Byakuya traveled through Hokutan, the 3th district of West Rukongai. "How are you sure that she is even here?"

"Many individuals claim that they saw a crying girl running in this direction." Byakuya looked around the wooded area, watching carefully for any movement. The moonlight was strong tonight so he did not need the assist from a kido.

"Then answer me this." Senbonzakura was getting impatient. "Why are you ever looking for her?"

Byakuya was wondering the same thing. Was he looking for her so he could apologize? There was no reason why he should apologize. She didn't deserve it. She is a terrible person. She is rude. She is disrespectful, especially to him. She is disobedient, ignoring his orders to remain in the fourth division and forcing him to look for her. As far as he was concerned, she had it coming to her. He should feel happy that he made her cry. He should be delighted that he finally taught that little brat a lesson.

But he didn't. Maybe it was because that expression on her face. When she turned around, she did not look mad. Her eyes showed with great sorrow. And her tears that the moonlight lit up only magnify her grief. Just remember her in such a pitiful state gave him an unusual sharp pain in his chest.

"It is called guilt, Byakuya." Senbonzakura shot at him. "Someone like you would not know about it."

"What is that suppose to mean."

"Guilt means when you feel bad about your pervious actions."

"I know what guilt is, you fool! But what is this about me not knowing what it is?"

"Simple. You think you are always right. That everything you do is just. Every time you do something bad, you think that you had every right to do it."

"That is not truth."

"Is that so? Then tell me that you were wrong for once."

"I will not. I have said many things that girl. Most of them were worse than being called a monster. How was I to know that that would make her cry." He said defensively, but even he thought it was weak. He glanced at Senbonzakura with her strong look of disapproval on her face. He lowered his head. "I did not mean to hurt her." Suddenly Byakuya stopped. He could hear a faint whimper. He began to walk in the direction from where it was coming from. The farther he walked, the louder it became. He started to see a small stream. The whimper had now become muffled cries. He looked alongside the stream, and then he spotted her. There was Hisana. Her face was buried deep into her legs. He slowly walked up to her.

"Tsumura." Hisana lifted her. She gave his a quick glance before she buried her face again.

"Go away." She cried. Byakuya wanted to, but again he felt that sharp pain. He walked up next to her.

"Go ahead and hit me." He said quickly.

"What?" Hisana slightly lifted her head.

"Every time I do something to upset you, you usually hit me. So I am giving you permission to strike me." He was hoping this gesture would save him from actually apologizing to her. But Hisana lowered her head.

"Please, I just want to be alone." But instead, Byakuya sat down beside her.

"Tsumura, I'm sorry." He looked at her. He wasn't sure if she was listening or not. "There was no need to call you a monster. It was an appalling thing to say."

"Byakuya, you have nothing to apologize for." her tears began to run down her face again. "You were right. I am a horrible monster."

"No you are not. I was just speaking out of anger."

"No, you don't understand." She took a deep breath. "Byakuya, I did something horrible."

"What was it?"

Hisana looked at him. She decided that she was going to tell him something she had never told anyone before. Not even Isane, her only friend.

"I abandoned my sister."

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Hisana could not remember anything about her past life beside the fact that she had a sister called Rukia. She felt an awful mixture of joy and sorrow. She was sad because her infant sister had died along her. But at the same time, she was happy that they were both together.

But life was not easy for them. Their only shelter was a cold cave in the woods where hollows would roam during the night. It was a dangerous place for a defenseless woman and her infant sister to live, but it was better than sleeping in the streets where she would be easy prey for the criminals of Inuzuri. It was downright impossible to make an honest living in Inuzuri. There were times that Hisana had to resort to stealing food and clean water just to survive. But because she was so weak, most of her attempts were foiled and instead of food, she would return to her hideout with cuts and bruises.

There were times that she and Rukia would go weeks without eating. The only thing that would distract Rukia from the terrible emptiness of her stomach would be Hisana's crude drawings of bunnies. She could spend hours drawing funny looking bunnies while adding little stories to her artwork. To Hisana, it was worth the hunger just to her sister's joyful laughs.

But at night, as Rukia would sleep soundly on her old dirty blanket, Hisana would cry to herself. She was tired of living like this. She wanted a better life for herself. But most importantly, she wanted a better life for Rukia. But how could she?

The answer came from Kaien Shiba.

She remembered their meeting as if it happened only yesterday. She had stolen food from the wrong type of people. Those men were not above killing her or Rukia. As they pushed her down to the ground and began to stomp on her, all she could do was protect Rukia.

_This is it_. She remembered thinking as one of the men rose his foot, ready to crush her skull in. suddenly a fist dropped the man to the ground. Hisana looked up to see a tall man with dark hair standing over her. He was wearing black clothes and had a sword tied around his waist.

She knew that he was a soul reaper. After the last guy fell to the ground, he turned to her.

"Are you ok?" He said as he lifted her from the ground.

"Yeah, I guess." Suddenly without warning, he slapped her upside the head.

"What the hell were you thinking stealing from men three times your size!" he stared at her wounds closely. He reached into his kosode and pulled out a small bag. "Here." He handed her a tiny little bottle.

"What's this?" she asked holding the tiny object in her hand.

"It's an ointment. That should heal all those cuts and bruises on you." Hisana didn't bother with a 'thank you' and turn to leave. But as she was leaving, he called out to her.

"The name is Kaien Shiba, by the way." Hisana thought hard about what to tell him. She wasn't going to give her name to a guy she just met her name. So she gave him a false name and ran away.

She thought that that would be the last time she would ever see Kaien, but she was wrong. Every month, Hisana would find a basket full of onigiries near the area where Kaien had saved her. There was also a note asking her for her real name. Every time she would write down a different name and leave it in the basket. The food wasn't much, but Hisana was able to make it last until Kaien's next visit.

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"Have you even considered being a soul reaper?" Kaien asked her one day. He had decided to hang around the basket and wait for Hisana to come by.

"Become a soul reaper? No I am too weak."

"What are you talking about, Megumi. Or is it Kaede this time?" Hisana ignored him. "Anyways, you have some reiatsu. I am certain, with some training; you will make a fine soul reaper. Soul reapers live in the Seireitei, so you will no longer have to live in this rat hole." His face turned solemn. "The reason I bring this up is because I will no longer be able to help you. My taicho had been very ill lately and I need to take on his duties." He turned to her. "It would give me some peace of mind to know that you are no longer struggling to get by." And with that, he just left.

She would never see Kaien in the Rukongai again, but still his words remained with her. If she became a soul reaper, she could escape this harsh place. She could actually have roof over her head and be able to sleep at night, not worrying about hollows. But most of all, she could give Rukia a better life. A life where she would never feel hungry or scared. A life that she can be proud of.

So Hisana did what Kaien suggested and began to train. It was hard at first because she was starving all the time. And even with slightest attempt at a kido would completely drain her of her strength. But Hisana pressed onward, with Rukia as her inspiration.

But when she applied for the Academy, they rejected her. They refused to let her in due to the fact that she was caring for her sister.

"Sorry kid." One of the guards told her once. "But this isn't a daycare." Hisana tried her best to convince them to make an exception, but it was no use. These people didn't care about Hisana and her problems. They were stuck up nobles from the Seireitei. They didn't care if two peasant girls from the lowest districts of the Rukongai starved to death. As long as everything was fine in their own little world, they could give a damn about her. Hisana knew that they couldn't last any longer. She can to the decision that in order to save Rukia, she would have to leave her behind.

For months, Hisana observed hundreds of households, in search of the right one to leave her sister. She watched the person carefully to see if they were violent, drunks, or thieves. Then she found the perfect place. The occupants of this home were a man and woman. They seem to be just like her, sent to this hell for no reason. They did not seem violent and they were too poor to afford even the cheapest sake. They were thieves, but they only stole what was needed. And she would see the woman feed stray dogs and cats what little food she could spare. She would probably take in Rukia. So with a heavy heart, she walked up to the house one night. She gave Rukia a final hug as she started crying.

_I'm such a crybaby_. She thought as she set Rukia down. "Rukia, I'm sorry for being weak. I swear I'll get stronger." Then she just ran, not turning back to see Rukia.

That night she made two promises.

The first was that she would come back for Rukia.

And the second was that she would never cry again.

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"When I returned to Inuzuri today, I discovered that the neighbor was destroyed. And everyone living there was killed. It my fault Rukia is dead. That's why," Hisana said, choking on her cries. "That's why I am a monster." She looked into the stream at her own reflection. . "Look at me. I promised Rukia I would never cry again. And here I am, crying like an infant. You must be disgusted with me." She buried her face into hands. She didn't want Byakuya to her like this. She just wanted him to leave. But instead she felt his arm warp around her.

"No, I am not." his touch was so warm and comforting that her tears seem to have disappeared. "You see yourself as disgusting. But what I see is a brave young woman who was face with a difficult decision that many could never make." Byakuya pressed her closer to him. "You did all you could, given your position. And even with this weighted heavily on your heart, you still found the strength to wake up every morning and work to make a better future for her. Someone with such strength and courage could never disgust me."

_How is this possible?_ Hisana thought as she rested her head on Byakuya's shoulder. _How can he comfort me? _After she abandoned Rukia, it had felt as if though she had been dropped into a sea of darkness. Not even her best friend or eating her favorite food could cheer her up. No matter how hard she would try, she could never escape the darkness.

So how it was that Byakuya could do it? How was it that Byakuya could lift her from the darkness with just some comforting words and the warmth of his body?

"Besides, she might not be dead." He said, releasing Hisana. "You only assume that she perished in the hollow attack. There is a good chance that she could still be wandering around the Rukongai."

"Do you really think she can be alive?"

"If she is as stubborn as you, then she probably is." He stood up. "I can assign you some missions in Rukongai. What you do afterwards is none of my concern."

_He is trying to help me_. She thought.

"Thank you, Byakuya fukutaicho." she said as she stood up.

"One more thing." He gave her a quick glance. "You look ugly when you cry."

At first she thought he was insulting her. But she realized that this was just his way of saying that he did not like to see her sad.

"You're right." She wiped her tears away. "I probably do." Hisana flash such a lovely smile, Byakuya could barely suppress his urge to smile back.

Without saying another word, he turned around and walked away.

"Byakuya," Senbonzakura formed beside him as he walked back to the Seireitei. "You weren't trying to say that she is pretty when she smiles, were you?" but Byakuya didn't answer, a clear sight that that was exactly what he was saying.

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A/N: I'm hoping to make two more updates before the month is over! That is if I don't have anymore surprise tests this week!


	25. A Special Gift

Yah! Another update! I know I promise two updates before the end of the month, but I had an assignment I had to complete! So sorry T-T

Anyways, I wrote this in honor of Byakuya's birthday(yah Byakuya!)

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Chapter 25: A Special Gift

"This is unacceptable, Ginrei," one of the elders said as Byakuya and his grandfather stood before the elders of the Kuchiki clan. "A man his age should be married and have produced an heir by now." They had this discussion with him every year on his birthday. Ever since he became of age where he could sire a child.

"Nonsense!" Ginrei shot back, "Byakuya is still young. There is no need to push him into marriage at his age."

"What of the two women we chose for him. They were of noble birth and quite lovely. What was wrong with them?" Another elder called out. Byakuya remembered those two. One was duller than a rusted knife. And the other was beautiful, but she was any stupider, she would probably forget to breath.

"They were not my type." Byakuya said. "Besides, I do not need any of your assistance in choosing a bride."

"Such a childish response." Suddenly one of the seated elders stood up and walked over to the two soul reapers. "Isn't it about time you grow up, Byakuya." Byakuya narrowed his eyes.

"Uncle Jirou" Byakuya said with such dislike. Uncle Jirou was a tall but thin man, since he chose the life of leisure instead of becoming a soul reaper like his brother and father. His cheeks were hollow as if he was malnutrition. And those eyes of his were cold and cruel like those on a viper. Even when he was smiling, those eyes of his made him look completely evil.

"And you father, do not give him an excuse. If he is to become head of the clan, then he must be wed and give the clan an heir. And this is more important seeing as he has chosen the reckless life of a soul reaper." He turned to Byakuya.

"And since when have you cared from my well being?"

"I don't. I am only thinking of the future of this clan. It would be a real shame if you were to die before giving the clan an heir."

"Of course it would." Byakuya said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. With a final bow, he excused himself and left.

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"What to get him?" Hisana asked herself as she walked to Byakuya's office.

"What are you talking about?" Ryu asked.

"Today is Byakuya's birthday and I am trying to figure out what to get him."

"How do you know its Byakuya's birthday?"

"Please, every woman in the Seireitei knows that. They get him flowers, cards, candies, and small presents for their precious Byakuya Kuchiki in hope that he would fall in love with her. Too bad that all their presents end up in the trash every year." she said as she laughed.

"Ok, so why are you going to get him anything?" his eyes met Hisana's. "Don't tell me that my little Hisana is falling for Byakuya?" he said with a shy smile on his face. Hisana grabbed him by his snake like neck and threw him to the ground.

"Shut up!" she shouted. "It's nothing like that! "She tried to regain her composer. "I'm just doing this to say thanks for helping me with my search for Rukia." With Byakuya's so called missions, she has been able to search for hours at a time. she sighed. "The only problem is what to get a man who has everything?" she stopped in front of Byakuya's office. Already he had gotten rid of all the worthless trinkets that his admirers gave him. She opened the door.

"Hey Byakuya." She called out. But instead of his usual greeting, Byakuya gave her the cruelest glare she had ever seen.

"Get out." He said forcefully as he turned his attention to his paperwork. Hisana was shocked. Never had Byakuya been this upset with her. And for doing absolutely nothing. She marched over to his desk and slammed her hands on the table.

"What the hell is your damn problem!" she shouted at him. "You can't yell at me for no damn reason!" Byakuya looked into her eyes. He looked more upset than angry.

"I'm sorry." He said as he turned away. Hisana knew that something was wrong with him. He would never back down from an argument with her.

"Byakuya," she said sympathetically. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Don't lie to me Byakuya. I know when you're upset."

"Why does it matter to you if I am upset or not?"

"Because there is only one person who is allowed to piss you off and that's me!" she got closer to his face, "now tell me what is wrong." But still he wouldn't talk. Hisana then thought of something. She knew of a way to make Byakuya feel better. She began to look around his office. Moments later she returned to Byakuya's desk with some blank sheets of paper.

"Ok, draw something." she said as she picked up the brush.

"Excuse me?"

"When I feel bad, I usually draw and that makes me feel a lot better. Like when you get me really mad, I draw you as a carrot getting mauled by a pack of bunnies" she tried to ignore the glare Byakuya was giving her and continued. "So here."

"I can't draw." Byakuya said.

"What! It's easy." She placed the brush in his hand and began to guide it down the paper.

Byakuya's POV

It was odd as Hisana moved his hand down the paper. He had always known this girl for her reckless strength, but he never knew that she could be so gentle.

"See, it's not that hard." Byakuya looked down to see some crude drawing on the paper. He didn't know what he was looking at.

"What is this suppose to be? Some type of hollow?"

"It's a bunny, you jerk!" she shouted at him. "Let's see if you can do any better!" she grabbed her drawing and sat down on the floor, her back facing him. Byakuya really didn't want to draw anything, but if it meant getting this pest out of his office, then he had no choice. He dipped his brush in the ink and began to draw.

"So," she glanced over her shoulder. "Why are you upset?"

"Its family issues." He said quickly.

"Like what?"

"Well, if you must know. They are pressuring me to choose a bride."

"That shouldn't be too hard for you. You certainly have the looks to have any woman in the Seireitei."

"I cannot have any woman. They must be of noble birth."

"So you have to pick a girl with money and nobility. I still don't see the problem." She said.

"Those women are annoying. They have no personality. Most of them of are idiots. But most of all they are afraid to speak their minds when around me. They always have to agree with me. They never correct me even when I am mistaken. I could say that the sky is pink and they would agree with me."

"So she would be obedient. Isn't that what most men look for in a woman?"

"If I wanted someone obedient, then I would hire another servant." Byakuya sighed heavily. "I just want someone who isn't afraid to say what she is thinking. Someone who doesn't agree with me all the time and is able to tell me. Someone like…" he trailed off as he stared at Hisana. Why did he suddenly think of her as he was talking? "Anyways, I can assure you that the elders would never choose someone like that to be the lady of the clan. Especially Uncle Jirou." Hisana caught the anger in his voice as he said his uncle's name.

"You don't like him, do you?" Hisana said as she turned around, facing Byakuya.

"No. he had hated me ever since I became the next head of the house." Byakuya's face suddenly saddened. "My parents died when I was very young. Normally it was my father, the first born son, who was to be the next head of the Kuchiki clan. But when he died, the duty was passed on to me. Uncle Jirou, who was the second born son, demanded that he should be the next head since he hated the idea of the clan being run by a stupid child. But my grandfather rejected that idea, saying it was my birthright as the only child of his first son to become head of clan. So to get even with me, he has tried to make my life as horrible as possible. He was the one who decided that I was to be married as soon as I reached maturity. He claims that he wants me to have an heir, but I can see through his lies. It would give him great joy to see me die so he and his family can gain control of the clan."

Hisana listened careful to Byakuya's life. All this time she thought that he was a snuck up noble who had no reason to be so discontent with his life. But now she knew that Byakuya's life was not all gold and silver. Losing his parents at a young age, being hated by an uncle because of a birthright. Being forced to marry a woman he did not love.

_Poor Byakuya._ She thought.

"You probably think I am some annoying little rich boy who loves to complain, don't you?" Hisana looked up to see Byakuya looking at her.

"No, not at all." Hisana got up from the floor. "Let's look at that drawing." She walked over to him and looked down. She looked shocked at what she saw. Byakuya looked down as well and realized why. There was some type of cloud with arms and legs and something wrapped around his forehead.

_What the hell did I draw!_ He thought as he looked up at Hisana. She was probably going to burst into laughter in a couple seconds. But she didn't. Instead she frowned.

"You're a liar." She said

"What?"

"You said you couldn't draw, but here you are drawing a work of art." Byakuya just looked at her, stunned.

"Are you mocking me?"

"Of course not! This probably the best drawing I have ever seen!" she smiled as she picked it up. "He looks like some type of warrior or ambassador." Byakuya looked at her. She was truly being sincerely. Hisana looked up at the clock.

"Damn, I told Isane I would me her for lunch." She sent the picture down and rushed to the door. But then she stopped. She still hasn't given Byakuya a present. She quickly ran back to Byakuya's desk.

"Happy Birthday, Byakuya!" she said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Byakuya suddenly turned red. It was the first time that she had ever seen him blush, and she thought he looked so cute with his red cheeks. Without another word, she quickly out of the office.

"Hisana! You just kissed Byakuya Kuchiki! WHY!" Ryu shouted.

"Because that is a present he can't throw in the trash." She said smiling as she ran to the fourth division.

* * *

A/N: Yah! Hisana finally kissed Byakuya!


	26. A Change for the Better

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*Drum roll* after a three month absence, I have returned!!!

A thousand pardons for my absence, but I was away on medical leave.

Then I had about 2 months and a half of work to catch up. If you want to know what happened, I have it all on my profile, along with the reason why I hate the hospital!

Anyways, I can forget about finishing this story by the end of May, but I will try for June!

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Chapter 26: A Change for the Better

Hisana leaned against the wall as she waited outside the fukutaicho's meeting room. It was a habit of hers to report to Byakuya after she was done wandering the streets of the Rukongai. Today she had to cut her search time short because there were other soul reapers in the Rukongai. She really couldn't tell them that she was waiting her time searching for her sister. That would be against the law since it had nothing to do with her work.

_Damn it_. She thought as she stood up straight. _He is taking forever._

"Aw, what's the matter Hisana?" Ryu said as he appeared around her neck. "Does Hisana miss her beloved Byakuya?" he grinned as he laughed through his teeth.

"Keep it up lizard and I will skin you alive and use you as an obi!" she said as she glared at him. She knew that giving Byakuya that kiss was a lousy idea. Now Ryu would never let her live it down. He even came up with that stupid nickname for Byakuya just to piss her off. And the worst part of it was that it was working.

"I don't know why you're getting mad at me. It's not my fault that you chose to wait for your beloved Byakuya. You just can't wait to see his face so you wait out here like a lovesick puppy." Ryu grin widened. That is when Hisana grabbed him by the throat. "Cant breath!" he shouted as he tried to escape Hisana's death grip.

"GOOD YOU LITTLE SMART ASS!" she tightened her grip. "Now let me repeat myself!" she squeezed him tighter. "I DO NOT LOVE BYAKUYA!"

Suddenly the doors opened. Hisana quickly jumped behind a nearby pillar as the fukutaicho's walked out. As she peaked to the side, she could see Byakuya and Kaien talking. Curiously got the best of her and quietly she sneaked out from behind the pillar. Slowly she crept behind the two.

"So what do say, Byakuya?" Kaien said as the two stopped.

"I will consider it." Suddenly Kaien turned around and for a moment their eyes met for a second. Hisana quickly bowed down, hiding her face.

"Greetings Shiba fukutaicho and Byakuya." She said nervously, hoping that neither of them caught it. Kaien just smiled and greeted her as he said farewell to Byakuya. As soon as he was out of sight, Hisana got up and stared at Byakuya. But before she could ask him anything, he continued walking. She quickly followed him.

"How was your mission today?" Byakuya asked as Hisana finally caught up.

"There is nothing new to report." Hisana said solemnly.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe tomorrow will be different."

"So what were you and Kaien talking about?" Hisana asked.

"Now why would I tell you about my conversation with a fellow fukutaicho?" Byakuya said.

"Because I will just keep bugging you until you tell me. So why not save yourself that irritation and just tell me."

"If you must know, we were discussing transferring a soul reaper from our squad to his squad as the new 10th seat."

"10th seat!" Hisana interpreted him. This was her chance. She could finally be rid of Byakuya and become a higher rank officer. "And do you have anyone in mind?" she asked as calm as possible.

"There is No one in particular."

"And what about me?" she said, making Byakuya stop.

"You want to transfer into squad 13?"

"Of course I do! It will give me the chance to…" she suddenly held her tongue. She couldn't tell him the real reason she was so eager for the transfer was because she couldn't stand him. Quickly, she tried to come up with a reason. "It will give me the chance to finally be in the same squad as Kaien Shiba."

"Kaien Shiba?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, everyone knows that Kaien is the best. He is nice, funny, optimistic, and alright guy in general." She forced a smile on her lips. "It would be a dream come true to be on the same squad as him."

"And what makes you think I will give a transfer just for Kaien Shiba." Byakuya shot back at her. Did she detect a hint of jealously in his voice?

_Byakuya, jealous?_ Hisana thought. _Ha! Yeah right!_

"Because you don't like me and would do anything not to see my face in squad six." Byakuya stood silent for a couple of seconds, in deep thought.

"Fine, I will consider it." Byakuya said as he left.

"Hisana, you know that you could give a damn if Kaien was in that squad or not!" Ryu shouted.

"I know that! But I couldn't tell him that he is the reason I want to leave, now can I?" she grinned. But why did she feel a little uneasy that Byakuya might actually transfer her?

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Byakuya stared down at the paper that sat on his desk. All he had to do was to fill this paper and Tsumura would be out of his hair for good. And she looked so thrilled to the idea of joining Squad 13. That should be more than enough reason to approve the transfer. So why couldn't he?

Surely it couldn't be because he would miss her having her in his squad. He wouldn't miss the way she talked back to him. He wouldn't miss her stupid antics. Especially little stunt she pulled on his birthday. It was odd, though, that it didn't disgust him as he thought it would. he slightly touched his cheek, he swore that he could still fell her warm lips pressing down on his cheek.

Then was the matter that it was obvious that Kaien Shiba was the only reason that Hisana was so eager to transfer. The way her sparkled as she talked about him, it practically made him sick. How he would love to break it to her that Kaien was already married.

"Daydreaming are we, Byakuya." Said Senbonzakura as she materialized in front of him. Quickly Byakuya lowered his hand.

"Do not be foolish. I was merely in deep thought." Her attention suddenly turned to the paper on his desk. Before Byakuya could hide the paper, Senbonzakura suddenly grabbed it.

"Why would you give so much thought into this?" suddenly Byakuya grabbed the paper from her.

"Do not take papers from my desk!" he snapped as he placed the paper back on his desk. He glanced at Senbonzakura, who had a confused look on her face. "Why are you giving me such a look?"

"Sorry, but I just assume that you do not need to give much thought in getting rid of that pest?" Senbonzakura glared deep into his eyes. "Unless you do not want her to leave." She waited for a suddenly outburst from him, but Byakuya just turned his head away.

"Byakuya, do not tell that you care about this girl." Senbonzakura said in shock. Never would she have imagined that her wieldier would start to care about a commoner from the Rukongai.

"How dare you say such stupid accusations!" he practically screamed as he jumped up from his seat. "How could you even think that I, the 28th head of the Kuchiki clan, could care about a nothing like her?" He gained his composer as he sat down again. "Now leave me alone. I have much work to do. And I do not need someone like you to distract me." Senbonzakura just gave a slight nod as she disappeared. But even with Senbonzakura gone, he still couldn't concentrate. What he had told her. It felt that he was trying to convince himself, not her, that he didn't care about Hisana.

"I don't." he said to himself as he picked up his brush and began to write. "I don't care about her."

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It was early morning and Byakuya was already at work. He glanced at the paper that he had filled out the night before. He knew that she would be here any moment to see if she got the transfer. Suddenly the door slid open.

"Good morning Byakuya!" Byakuya glanced up from his papers to see Hisana standing at the door.

"Eight in the morning and you're awake. What a surprise." He said as he continued working.

"It's good to see you too, Byakuya." She said sarcastically as she made her way to his desk. "So did you give any thought to that transfer?"

"As a matter of fact, I did." Byakuya picked the paper up and handed it to her. Byakuya couldn't help but to smile as her grin dropped by every word she read.

"What the hell!" she shouted as she crushed the paper in her hand. "I thought that you were going to transfer me. Instead you wrote that I am a sorry excuse for a soul reaper and that they are better off assigning a monkey as their tenth seat than me!" she crushed the paper into a ball and threw it at him.

"I never said that I would transfer you. I merely said I would consider it. And much thought, I came to the conclusion that you are not ready to become a higher seated officer."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because there are far more dangerous than those of lower ranked officers." His face softened. "And I would hate to see you get hurt or even killed on one of those missions."

"So you are actually worried about me."

"Of course not!" he snapped back. "If you fail on your first mission, which will probably happen, it will reflect on the sixth division. I cannot and will not have this division's image tarnished by the likes of you." But even as he spoke, Hisana could not see any anger or even irritation in his eyes. It was as if he was happy that she was staying.

"I guess you have a point." She said as she smiled at him. "And besides, I doubt that Kaien Shiba is as good hearted as you."

"Good hearted?" Byakuya reapeated.

"Of course. Only someone as good hearted and kind as you would give me the opportunity to search for my sister." Byakuya's cheeks began to redden as he lowered his head.

"You may go now." He said, trying hard to hide his face.

"Yes, Byakuya fukutaicho." Hisana bowed and quickly left his office.

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Damn!" Ryu said. "I can't believe that we're still stuck in squad six!" but Hisana wasn't listening to his complaints. She was trying to figure out when was it that he began to change.

In the beginning, Byakuya was self centered, cruel, stuck-up and a total ass. Before it would give him great joy to see get hurt or to fail. But somewhere along the way, without her noticing, he had changed. He was now considerate of her feelings, concerned with her actions. If she didn't know him better, she could swear that he might actually like her.

"Looks like you still stuck with Byakuya." Ryu said, bring her attention back to him. But that really didn't bother her.

"Oh well." Hisana said as she just smiled.

* * *

Well, there you have it. Sorry if there is any mistakes, still not feeling too well.

Expect the next chapter by next week!

Oh, and a special thanks to Murcielago Princess for looking after my site while I was away.


	27. Dense

Can it really be! YES! I have returned from my long absence!

A million forgiveness for the long overdue chapter. I was dealing with some things(details are on my profile), but now I'm back and ready to write.

And now presenting my new chapter. ENJOY!

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Chapter 27: Dense

It started out like any other parole. Three seated officers of Squad 1 were making their usual round around the Rukongai.

"This is boring!" complained the 12th seat. "When is something new going to happen?" The other two just grunted in annoyance. The 12th seat may be the youngest of the three men, but he had the maturity of a child. But either of the two could blame him. This was one of the dullest jobs a seated officer could be assigned. Especially for a seated officer from Squad 1.

"Fine." Said the 6th seat. "Let's just check this street and head back." He turned into the street. Suddenly the other two Shinigami heard a horrible scream. They ran into the street, to find a massive hollow with a reiatsu that literally was sickening. And under the foot of the monster was the 6th seat, covered in blood.

"How could we have missed such a monstrous reiatsu?" The 12th seat said as he struggled to hold his sword with his shaking hands.

"Never mind that!" called the 8th seat. "I'll take care of this beast. You go find the 6th seat and run." The 6th seat suddenly charged at the hollow, releasing his shikai. The blow was strong enough to push the hollow off their comrade. The 12th quickly rushed to the fallen man as his ally charged at the hollow. The 12th seat grabbed the 6th and ran as fast as he could away from the hollow.

"Ge…t a….wa..y" the 6th seat murmured as they distance themselves from the hollow.

"Don't worry, I'll get to the 4th division." the 12th seat Said as he set his injured comrade down on the ground. Suddenly a scream echoed through the city.

"No." the 12th seat said. It was the 8th seat. He could feel his reiatsu fading away. He suddenly brought to his knee as a horrible pain coming from his back. As he turned around he saw the 6th seat on his feet with his Zanpakutō in hand. His eyes were going red and half his face was covered by something white.

"I … TOLD.. YOU" HE lifted his Zanpakutō. "TO.. GET …AWAY!" The glare from the Zanpakutō as it came down was the last thing the 12th saw before darkness swept over him.

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Byakuya was busy at work when a Jigokuchō floated into the sixth division. He extended his hand and the small creature landed.

"Attention, All taichō and fukutaichō; today in the Rukongai, the 8th and 12th seat from the first division were murdered by a single unknown hollow. The whereabouts of the 6th are unknown at this time"

_Two Seated officers from the first division were murdered_. Byakuya repeated in his head. _That was impossible_. The first division is known for having the strongest soul reapers of all the Soul Society. For three of them to be killed by one lone hollow was unheard of.

"All soul reapers must return to the Seireitei at once and all missions to the Rukongai are hereby suspended until further notice. Furthermore there is to be an emergency taichō meeting at once." Said the little Jigokuchō before it flew into the air.

_Are you frightened, Byakuya_." said Senbonzakura.

"I am not frightened." He said with a bit of anger in his voice. "I am considered about ..."

_Hisana_. His Zanpakutō interrupted him. Ever since Hisana's little birthday present incident, his Zanpakutō has done everything in her power to annoy him about it. According to her, Hisana was the reason for everything he did. He could no longer have her scrub the halls of the sixth division without Senbonzakura accusing of him of just wanting her around. And his recent action of not transferring Hisana into a different divison had added more fuel to the flame.

"I was not going to say that. Please do not put words into my mouth; especially such nonsense considering that woman!" Byakuya said, not even trying to hide his anger.

Just then, Hisana came into the office, just as the Jigokuchō flew away.

"Well, speak of the devil." Senbonzakura said with a smirk on her lips. "Poor little thing's ear must have been ringing the whole time."

_Be quiet_. Byakuya thought as he turned to Hisana. "Tsumura, what have I told you about just barging into my office?" he said, even though he knew that his lecture, as always, fell on deaf ears.

"Was that a Jigokuchō?" Hisana said, completely ignoring Byakuya's previous statement.

"Yes." Byakuya said as he returned to his paperwork.

"So that means that it was an important message?" Hisana asked as she leaned over the desk. Byakuya was like a safe, she has to choose her questions carefully if she wanted the information she seek.

"Perhaps." Not even looking up as he responded.

"Was it from Central 46." She leaned even closer as she asked again.

"No." He still had not looked up from his work, but he had stopped writing. First click.

"So it's from the sōtaichō." Byakuya looked up from his work and threw her an angry glare.

"Don't you have someone, other than me, to pester?" Second Click.

"What did it say?"

"That is none of your concerns."

"Come on, Byakuya! Don't be such a jerk and just tell me what the Jigokuchō said!

"This information from Yamamoto sōtaichō is classified and for taichō and fukutaichō only. And as I recall, you are but a mere 18th seat."

"Listen, you always tell me everything. I don't see how this particular message coming from the old man would make a difference. So let's just skip the argument and tell me what the Jigokuchō said."

"Do not address Yamamoto sōtaichō so informally. You may get away with addressing me informally, but he is not so forgiving." "And furthermore, I do not tell you anything. You tend to pry into matters that do not concern you." Hisana rose from Byakuya's desk. Obviously Byakuya was not going to crack; she was just wasting her time.

"Fine then! Be a jerk!" she shouted as she turned her back to Byakuya. "I'm going to the Rukongai and away from you!"

"Rukongai." Byakuya quickly rose from his desk and followed her. "Wait!" he said as he grabbed her arm.

"What is it now?"

"You cannot go into the Rukongai today." And third click.

"Why not?" she asked. "Does it have something with Jigokuchō."

"I have already told you, that information does not concern you."

"Well unless I am given a specific reason why," she pulled away from Byakuya. "I will be leaving now."

"Tsumura!" Byakuya shouted. Hisana had heard him yell before, but never this loud. "As your fukutaichō, I am giving you a direct order! If you so much set foot outside of the Seireitei, I will personally see to it that your punishment is an unpleasant one! Do I make myself clear?" normally Hisana would just reply with one of her sassy remakes, but this time it looked like Byakuya would most definitely follow through with his theat.

"Crystal, fukutaichō." But then her shock suddenly turned to anger. "You know what Byakuya! You really are an ass!" she shouted as she made her way towards the exit.

"Good to hear." He said, completely ignoring her insult as he returned to his desk. "Now make yourself useful and try to keep yourself out of trouble."

"Screw you!" Hisana shouted as she slammed the door as hard as she could.

"My, my." Senbonzakura suddenly appeared next to the door. "That was harsh Byakuya. Honestly, you have absolutely no manners when it comes to women, especially one you happen to be fond of!"

"I am not fond of that woman!" he sat back down. "It is the duty of the fukutaichō to keep his subordinates safe. Besides, I would hardly consider her a woman. Tsumura is a wild animal. Sometimes it is necessary to be forceful to make her understand."

"Oh Byakuya." Senbonzakura sighed. "For someone so educated, you are so very dense when it comes to women."

"How so?"

"Women should be treated will respect." She suddenly reappeared next to his desk and grabbed his ear. "AND SHOULD NOT BE COMPARED TO WILD ANIMALS, YOU IDIOT! HOW ON EARTH WILL YOU EVER FIND A BRIDE IF YOU CANNOT TREAT A WOMAN PROPERLY! "

"That is enough!" He slapped her hand away. "I have already dealt with one arrogant woman toady, and I have no desire to deal with another one." He picked up his pen. "Now leave." He said, looking down at the paper that was on the desk.

"Fine then." "But I warn you Byakuya. The more you fight that girl, the farther you push her away, until she is no longer within your reach."

"What is that suppose to mean?" he looked up, but Senbonzakura had vanished. "Good." He said to himself.

He couldn't believe the nonsense his Zanpakutō has to nerves to say.

That he was dense. That he was harsh. That he could actually care about that woman.

The only thing he cared for was for her safety. If that meant that he had be a little cruel to her to insure that she would safe, then so be it.

But it was that last thing Senbonzakura had said that was still bothering him.

Was he pushing her away? Even if his intentions were good, would she grow to despise him? And if she did, would she leave his life forever?

"As long as she is safe, then that is all that manners." He decided as he got back to work.

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A/N: I know its taking Byakuya forever to realize his feeling for Hisana. But aren't the best things in life the ones you wait for!

New chapter coming soon! I PROMISE!


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